U.S. patent application number 11/802140 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-22 for information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing program, and mobile terminal device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan, Inc.. Invention is credited to Akihiko Adachi, Yoshimitsu Funabashi, Keiko Hiraoka, Atsushi Imai, Mayu Irimajiri, Takeshi Matsuzawa, Seiji Muramatsu, Tatsuhiko Nishimura, Tomoharu Okamoto, Takeshi Tanigawa, Takamoto Tsuda.
Application Number | 20070268309 11/802140 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38441557 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070268309 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tanigawa; Takeshi ; et
al. |
November 22, 2007 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method,
information processing program, and mobile terminal device
Abstract
An information processing apparatus includes a face image
extractor portion, a matching image detector portion, a linking
processing portion, a communication address information acquiring
portion, and a controller portion. The face image extractor portion
extracts a face image of a person in a still image content. The
matching image detector portion detects from a memory containing or
storing face images and communication address information of
respective users the matching face image matching with the
extracted face image, which has been extracted by the face image
extractor portion. When the matching face image matching with the
extracted face image, which has been extracted by the face image
extractor portion, is detected by the matching image detector, the
linking processing portion performs a linking process to link the
extracted face image and communication address information
corresponding to the extracted face image and stored in the memory.
When the person is selected from the still image content, the
communication address information acquiring portion acquires from
the memory the communication address information linked by the
linking process to the face image of the selected person. The
controller portion controls a communication section to make a
telephone call to a telephone number corresponding to the
communication address information acquired by the communication
address information acquiring portion or that performs display
control to display on a display portion a creation screen for an
e-mail piece having an input e-mail address corresponding to the
communication address information.
Inventors: |
Tanigawa; Takeshi; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Hiraoka; Keiko; (Tokyo, JP) ; Funabashi;
Yoshimitsu; (Tokyo, JP) ; Irimajiri; Mayu;
(Tokyo, JP) ; Imai; Atsushi; (Tokyo, JP) ;
Muramatsu; Seiji; (Saitama, JP) ; Tsuda;
Takamoto; (Kanagawa, JP) ; Matsuzawa; Takeshi;
(Kanagawa, JP) ; Okamoto; Tomoharu; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; Adachi; Akihiko; (Tokyo, JP) ;
Nishimura; Tatsuhiko; (Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RADER FISHMAN & GRAUER PLLC
LION BUILDING
1233 20TH STREET N.W., SUITE 501
WASHINGTON
DC
20036
US
|
Assignee: |
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications
Japan, Inc.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
38441557 |
Appl. No.: |
11/802140 |
Filed: |
May 21, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
345/619 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 1/27475 20200101;
G06K 9/00221 20130101; H04M 1/72436 20210101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/619 |
International
Class: |
G09G 5/00 20060101
G09G005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 22, 2006 |
JP |
2006-141071 |
Apr 26, 2007 |
JP |
2007-117394 |
Claims
1. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a face image
extractor portion that extracts a face image of a person in a still
image content; a matching image detector portion that detects from
a memory a matching face image matching with the extracted face
image, which has been extracted by the face image extractor
portion, the memory containing or storing face images and
communication address information of respective users; a linking
processing portion that, when a matching face image matching with
the extracted face image, which has been extracted by the face
image extractor portion, is detected by the matching image
detector, performs a linking process to link the extracted face
image and communication address information corresponding to the
extracted face image and stored in the memory; a communication
address information acquiring portion that, when the person is
selected from the still image content, acquires from the memory the
communication address information linked by the linking process to
the face image of the selected person; and a controller portion
that controls a communication section to make a telephone call to a
telephone number corresponding to the communication address
information acquired by the communication address information
acquiring portion or that performs display control to display on a
display portion a creation screen for an e-mail piece having an
input e-mail address corresponding to the communication address
information.
2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
further comprising: a linkage determining portion that, when
displaying the still image content, determines whether a face image
of an image of the person in the still image content and
communication address information corresponding to the face image
and stored in the memory are linked together by the linking
processing portion; and an image of a person determined by the
linkage determining portion to be not linked by the linking process
is displayed in the still image content in a display mode different
from a display mode for the image of the person determined to be
linked by the linking process.
3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 2,
further comprising: a communication address information
transmission requesting portion that, when an image of a person
displayed in the still image content in the display mode different
from the display mode for the image of the person determined to be
linked by the linking process is selected, issues a transmission
request to a communications device corresponding to a communication
address selected by a user to transmit a face image of the image of
the person displayed in the different display mode and
communication address information of the person, wherein: the
controller portion that, when the communication address information
of the person is transmitted as a response from the communications
device, stores the communication address information and the face
image of the image of the person displayed in the different display
mode are stored into the memory; and the linking processing portion
performs the linking process to link the face image of the person
displayed in the still image content in the different mode and the
communication address information corresponding to the face image
and stored into the memory.
4. An information processing method comprising the steps of:
extracting a face image of a person in a still image content;
detecting from a memory a matching face image matching with the
extracted face image, which has been extracted by the face image
extractor portion, the memory containing or storing face images and
communication address information of respective users; when a
matching face image matching with the extracted face image, which
has been extracted by the face image extractor portion, is detected
by the matching image detector, performing a linking process to
link the extracted face image and communication address information
corresponding to the extracted face image and stored in the memory;
when the person is selected from the still image content, acquiring
from the memory the communication address information linked by the
linking process to the face image of the selected person; and
controlling a communication section to make a telephone call to a
telephone number corresponding to the communication address
information acquired by the communication address information
acquiring portion or that performs display control to display on a
display portion a creation screen for an e-mail piece having an
input e-mail address corresponding to the communication address
information.
5. An information processing program, comprising: causing a
computer to function as a face image extractor portion that
extracts a face image of a person in a still image content; causing
a computer to function as a matching image detector portion that
detects from a memory a matching face image matching with the
extracted face image, which has been extracted by the face image
extractor portion, the memory containing or storing face images and
communication address information of respective users; causing a
computer to function as a linking processing portion that, when a
matching face image matching with the extracted face image, which
has been extracted by the face image extractor portion, is detected
by the matching image detector, performs a linking process to link
the extracted face image and communication address information
corresponding to the extracted face image and stored in the memory;
causing a computer to function as a communication address
information acquiring portion that, when the person is selected
from the still image content, acquires from the memory the
communication address information linked by the linking process to
the face image of the selected person; and causing a computer to
function as a controller portion that controls a communication
section to make a telephone call to a telephone number
corresponding to the communication address information acquired by
the communication address information acquiring portion or that
performs display control to display on a display portion a creation
screen for an e-mail piece having an input e-mail address
corresponding to the communication address information.
6. A mobile terminal device, comprising: a memory that contains or
stores face images and communication address information of
respective users; a face image extractor portion that extracts a
face image of a person in a still image content; a matching image
detector portion that detects from the memory a matching face image
matching with the extracted face image, which has been extracted by
the face image extractor portion; a linking processing portion
that, when a matching face image matching with the extracted face
image, which has been extracted by the face image extractor
portion, is detected by the matching image detector, performs a
linking process to link the extracted face image and communication
address information corresponding to the extracted face image and
stored in the memory; a communication address information acquiring
portion that, when the person is selected from the still image
content, acquires from the memory the communication address
information linked by the linking process to the face image of the
selected person; and a controller portion that controls a
communication section to make a telephone call to a telephone
number corresponding to the communication address information
acquired by the communication address information acquiring portion
or that performs display control to display on a display portion a
creation screen for an e-mail piece having an input e-mail address
corresponding to the communication address information.
Description
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present invention contains subject matters related to
Japanese Patent Applications JP 2006-141071 and JP 2007-117394
filed in the Japanese Patent Office on May 22, 2006 and on Apr. 26,
2007 respectively, the entire contents of which being incorporated
herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an information processing
apparatus, an information processing method, an information
processing program, and a mobile terminal device that are well
suited for adaptation to any one of mobile devices, such as mobile
phones, PHS phones (PHS: personal handyphone system), and PDAs
(PDA: personal digital assistant), and notebook personal
computers.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Hitherto, technology for detecting a face portion of an
image of a person from a photographic image has been used. For
example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
2006-94035 (Patent Publication 1 (pp. 6 and 7; FIG. 3)) discloses
an image processor capable of appropriately compounding a face
image of a person into a "backdrop"-like template image
correspondingly to a pattern of a group (of persons) in a captured
image.
[0006] In the disclosed image processor, a face detector portion
detects a face portion of an image of a person from a photographic
image, and further detects markers put on portions other than the
face portion of the image of the person. In accordance with the
detected markers put on the image of the person, a group
identifying portion specifies or identifies the image of the person
belonging to the same group from the images of the persons whose
face portions have been detected. A template input portion outputs
to a composite portion a template image having the number of
composite regions identical to the total number of calculated
markers. A trimming portion extracts a face image of the person
belonging to the same group from the photographic image. An
arranging portion arranges the face image in the composite region,
and the compounding portion compounds the face image arranged in
the composite region and the template image.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] As an example, a case can take place in which, while a group
photograph of persons is viewed, days spent with a specific one
(user) of the persons are recalled to the extent of motivating the
user of the image processor to communicate with the person (user).
However, complicate and burdensome operations are necessary to
communicate with the person (user) by means of, for example, a
telephone phone or e-mail. For example, a telephone directory has
to be activated, and registration fields for private information of
the person (user) has to be detected. Then, either a telephone call
has to be made to a telephone number stored in the registration
fields for private information or an e-mail piece has to be
transmitted to an e-mail address stored therein.
[0008] In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide an
information processing apparatus, an information processing method,
information processing program, and a mobile terminal device with
which, when a desired user is specified from a group photograph or
the like, a telephone call and/or creation of an e-mail piece can
be directly implemented for communication with the specified
user.
[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an
information processing apparatus includes a face image extractor
portion that extracts a face image of a person in a still image
content; a matching image detector portion that detects from a
memory a matching face image matching with the extracted face
image, which has been extracted by the face image extractor
portion, the memory containing or storing face images and
communication address information of respective users; a linking
processing portion that, when a matching face image matching with
the extracted face image, which has been extracted by the face
image extractor portion, is detected by the matching image
detector, performs a linking process to link the extracted face
image and communication address information corresponding to the
extracted face image and stored in the memory; a communication
address information acquiring portion that, when the person is
selected from the still image content, acquires from the memory the
communication address information linked by the linking process to
the face image of the selected person; and a controller portion
that controls a communication section to make a telephone call to a
telephone number corresponding to the communication address
information acquired by the communication address information
acquiring portion or that performs display control to display on a
display portion a creation screen for an e-mail piece having an
input e-mail address corresponding to the communication address
information.
[0010] According to another embodiment of the present invention, an
information processing method includes the steps of extracting a
face image of a person in a still image content; detecting from a
memory a matching face image matching with the extracted face
image, which has been extracted by the face image extractor
portion, the memory containing or storing face images and
communication address information of respective users; when a
matching face image matching with the extracted face image, which
has been extracted by the face image extractor portion, is detected
by the matching image detector, performing a linking process to
link the extracted face image and communication address information
corresponding to the extracted face image and stored in the memory;
when the person is selected from the still image content, acquiring
from the memory the communication address information linked by the
linking process to the face image of the selected person; and
controlling a communication section to make a telephone call to a
telephone number corresponding to the communication address
information acquired by the communication address information
acquiring portion or that performs display control to display on a
display portion a creation screen for an e-mail piece having an
input e-mail address corresponding to the communication address
information.
[0011] An information processing program includes causing a
computer to function as a face image extractor portion that
extracts a face image of a person in a still image content; causing
a computer to function as a matching image detector portion that
detects from a memory a matching face image matching with the
extracted face image, which has been extracted by the face image
extractor portion, the memory containing or storing face images and
communication address information of respective users; causing a
computer to function as a linking processing portion that, when a
matching face image matching with the extracted face image, which
has been extracted by the face image extractor portion, is detected
by the matching image detector, performs a linking process to link
the extracted face image and communication address information
corresponding to the extracted face image and stored in the memory;
causing a computer to function as a communication address
information acquiring portion that, when the person is selected
from the still image content, acquires from the memory the
communication address information linked by the linking process to
the face image of the selected person; and causing a computer to
function as a controller portion that controls a communication
section to make a telephone call to a telephone number
corresponding to the communication address information acquired by
the communication address information acquiring portion or that
performs display control to display on a display portion a creation
screen for an e-mail piece having an input e-mail address
corresponding to the communication address information.
[0012] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a
mobile terminal device includes a memory that contains or stores
face images and communication address information of respective
users; a face image extractor portion that extracts a face image of
a person in a still image content; a matching image detector
portion that detects from the memory a matching face image matching
with the extracted face image, which has been extracted by the face
image extractor portion; a linking processing portion that, when a
matching face image matching with the extracted face image, which
has been extracted by the face image extractor portion, is detected
by the matching image detector, performs a linking process to link
the extracted face image and communication address information
corresponding to the extracted face image and stored in the memory;
a communication address information acquiring portion that, when
the person is selected from the still image content, acquires from
the memory the communication address information linked by the
linking process to the face image of the selected person; and a
controller portion that controls a communication section to make a
telephone call to a telephone number corresponding to the
communication address information acquired by the communication
address information acquiring portion or that performs display
control to display on a display portion a creation screen for an
e-mail piece having an input e-mail address corresponding to the
communication address information.
[0013] According to the above, communication address information of
images of respective persons are preliminarily detected from the
memory and linked together. When an image of a desired person is
selected from the still image content displayed, communication
address information preliminarily liked to the person is read out
from the memory, and a telephone call to the person is made or an
e-mail creation screen is displayed. Thereby, communication with
the person can be directly made just by selection of the image of
the person from the still image content.
[0014] As an effect or advantage of the present invention, just
specifying a desired image of a person from a group photograph or
the like makes it possible to directly perform operations, such as
telephone call to a person and e-mail creation for the person.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] These and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will be apparent from the following detailed
description and the appended claims and drawings, in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a mobile phone of an embodiment
of the present invention;
[0017] FIGS. 2A and 2B are views showing an exterior of the mobile
phone of the embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining various contents that are
handled by the Lifetime Calendar function provided in the mobile
phone of the present embodiment;
[0019] FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing various set screens of
the Lifetime Calendar function provided in the mobile phone of the
present embodiment;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of a
calendar-view Lifetime Calendar in the Lifetime Calendar function
of the mobile phone of the present embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing a display operation for the
calendar-view Lifetime Calendar in the mobile phone of the present
embodiment;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a view showing month and year indexes displayed on
a calendar-view Lifetime Calendar;
[0023] FIG. 8 is a view showing the calendar-view Lifetime Calendar
set as a standby screen;
[0024] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram for explaining an update operation
that updates a thumbnail image at a predetermined time interval in
the event that the mobile phone of the embodiment is displaying the
calendar-view Lifetime Calendar;
[0025] FIG. 10 is a flow diagram for explaining an update operation
that updates a thumbnail image of a date, on which a focus is kept
applied, at a predetermined time interval while the mobile phone of
the embodiment is displaying a calendar-view Lifetime Calendar;
[0026] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram showing the flow of a process in
the range of from displaying of a day-view the Lifetime Calendar in
the mobile phone of the embodiment to activation of an application
program corresponding to a selected content;
[0027] FIG. 12 is a view showing an example of a list display
screen of a day-view Lifetime Calendar;
[0028] FIG. 13 is a view showing a display example of a thumbnail
display screen of the day-view Lifetime Calendar;
[0029] FIG. 14 is a flow diagram showing the operation of
graphically displaying a new-schedule creation content on the
calendar-view Lifetime Calendar when no content is present on a
focused date on a calendar-view Lifetime Calendar;
[0030] FIG. 15 is a view showing a list display screen of a
day-view Lifetime Calendar graphically displaying the new-schedule
creation content;
[0031] FIG. 16 is a view showing a thumbnail display screen of the
day-view Lifetime Calendar graphically displaying the new-schedule
creation content;
[0032] FIG. 17 is a flow diagram showing the flow of a remembrance
popup display operation in the mobile phone of the embodiment;
[0033] FIG. 18 is a view showing a display example of a remembrance
popup display of a content presented on a calendar-view Lifetime
Calendar;
[0034] FIG. 19 is a view showing a display example of a remembrance
popup display of a content graphically displayed on a list display
screen of the day-view Lifetime Calendar;
[0035] FIG. 20 is a view showing a display example of a remembrance
popup display of contents presented on a thumbnail display screen
of a day-view Lifetime Calendar;
[0036] FIG. 21 is a flow diagram showing the flow of a display
operation for displaying a remembrances list in the mobile phone of
the embodiment;
[0037] FIG. 22 is a view showing a display example of a
remembrances list;
[0038] FIG. 23 is a flow diagram showing the flow of a remembrance
popup display operation in accordance with the number of past
contents in the mobile phone of the embodiment;
[0039] FIG. 24 is a flow diagram showing the flow of a remembrance
popup display operation in accordance with a past date and the
number of past contents in the mobile phone of the embodiment;
[0040] FIG. 25 is a flow diagram for explaining a linking process
for linking together a person imaged in a still image content and
private information of the person stored in a telephone directory
in the mobile phone of the present embodiment;
[0041] FIG. 26 is a flow diagram for explaining operations for
selecting a person imaged in a still image content and for either
making a telephone call or transmitting an e-mail message to the
person in the mobile phone of the present embodiment;
[0042] FIG. 27 is a flow diagram for explaining an acquisition
operation for acquiring private information of a person whose image
is gray displayed on a still image content in the mobile phone of
the present embodiment; and
[0043] FIG. 28 is a flow diagram showing the flow of a remembrance
popup display operation that performs detection of a content by
detecting a "per-year detection," "per-month detection," and
"random detection" at random or predetermined probability.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0044] The present invention can be adapted to a mobile phone. The
following describes the present invention with reference to an
example case where the present invention is embodied in a mobile
phone.
ELECTRICAL CONFIGURATION OF MOBILE PHONE
[0045] With reference to FIG. 1, a mobile phone of an embodiment of
the present invention includes an antenna 1 and a communications
circuit 2 for wireless communication with a base station, a speaker
portion 3 for obtaining acoustic outputs such as incoming sounds
and receiving audio, a microphone portion 4 for receiving or
collecting transmitting audio, and a display portion 5 for
displaying motion and/or still images and characters, as well as a
"lifetime calendar" described further below.
[0046] The mobile phone further includes an operation portion 6, a
light emitting portion 7 (LED: light emitting diode), a camera
portion 8, and a vibration portion 9. The operation portion 6 is
used for performing operations, such as, for example, input
operation to input characters and the like, selection operation to
select a desired menu. The light emitting portion 7 is used for
notifying or informing a user of outgoing and incoming calls by
using light. The camera portion 8 is used for capturing of still
images and motion images of desired subjects. The vibration portion
9 is used for notifying or informing the user of, for example,
outgoing and incoming calls by vibrating a housing of the mobile
phone.
[0047] The mobile phone further includes a timer 10, a memory 11,
and a controller portion 12. The timer 10 counts the current time.
The memory 11 stores, for example, a communication processing
programs (communication program) for performing wireless
communication processing via the base station, various application
programs, and various types of data (contents) to be handled by the
respective application programs. The controller portion 12 provides
total control of the mobile phone (As such, the controller portion
12 provides various types of control operations, such as display
control of the lifetime calendars, contents, icons, and focus
moving and display control. However, such control operations
hereinbelow will not be described on each occasion unless otherwise
necessary).
[0048] The application programs stored in the memory 11 are an
e-mail management program for controlling, for example, e-mail
creation and transmission and reception; a camera control program
that includes, for example, an imaging control function for
controlling imaging operation of the camera unit 8, and a viewer
function for motion and still images that are captured or acquired
by the camera unit 8 or that are extracted across a network and an
input terminal; and a scheduler management program for managing a
scheduler in which user schedules are stored; a telephone directory
management program for managing a telephone directory; and a music
player program for playing back music contents.
[0049] The memory 11 further stores or contains a lifetime calendar
application program that functions as so-called "launcher
software." The application program displays the "lifetime calendar"
on the display portion 5, and causes an application program
corresponding to an information process, which is specified in
accordance with the lifetime calendar, to be selected from the
various types of application programs and to be activated or
driven.
[0050] The memory 11 further stores or contains various other data,
such as, for example, a scheduler in which desired schedules of the
user are stored; still images, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses,
and birthdays of acquaintances and friends of the user; music
contents to be played back in accordance with the music player
program; still and motion image contents played back in accordance
with the viewer function of the camera control program; e-mail
contents; outgoing and incoming call histories of transmitted and
received telephone calls and e-mail pieces; and a remembrances list
or histories of operations of generating a "remembrance popup
display" described further below.
EXTERIOR CONFIGURATION OF MOBILE PHONE
[0051] FIGS. 2A and 2B show one example of the exterior
configuration of the mobile phone of the present embodiment. As
shown in the drawings, the mobile phone of the present embodiment
is of a so-called foldable type in which an upper housing portion
21 and a lower housing portion 22 are connected foldable via a
hinge portion 23. FIG. 2A is a view of the mobile phone in an open
state as viewed from an inner surface side (side of surfaces mated
with one another in the close state); and FIG. 2B is a view of the
mobile phone in the open state as viewed from the outer surface
side.
[0052] With reference to FIG. 2A, the mobile phone has a display
portion 5 in the upper housing portion 21. The mobile phone further
has a communicating speaker portion 3 and a second camera portion
8b (in-camera portion) between an upper end portion 21a of the
housing portion 21 and an upper end portion 5a of the display
portion 5. The mobile phone further has an operation portion 6 and
a microphone portion 4, which is used for communication and
surround audio collection, between the operation portion 6 and a
lower end portion 22a of the lower housing portion 22.
[0053] The operation portion 6 includes a cross key 24 and an enter
key 25. The cross key 24 is depressible in the upper-lower and
left-right directions, and the cross key 25 is provided in a
central portion of the cross key 24. The operation portion 6
further includes first to fourth keys 26 to 29. In a normal case,
these keys are used as follows. The first soft key 26 is depressed
when specifying activation of the e-mail management program. The
second soft key 27 is depressed when specifying connection to a
network such as the Internet. The third soft key 28 is depressed
when specifying displaying of a main menu. The fourth soft key 29
is depressed when allocating and using a desired command.
[0054] The operation portion 6 further includes an off-hook key 30,
on-hook key 31, clear key 32, and 12 twelve-keys 33. In a normal
case, these keys are used as follows. The off-hook key 30 is
depressed for taking the mobile phone off-hook upon transmission or
reception of communications. The on-hook key 31 is depressed to
turn on/off the main power and to terminate communication. The
clear key 32 is depressed, for example, to erase an input
character(s) and to correct a specified operation. The 12
twelve-keys 33 are allocated to, for example, numerals "0" to "9,"
alphabets, an asterisk "*," and a sharp "#."
[0055] With reference to FIG. 2B, the mobile phone further has a
first camera portion 8a (main camera portion) on a back surface
side of the lower housing portion 22 (opposite side to a surface
where the operation portion 6 is provided). More specifically, the
mobile phone includes two lower face portions, a main camera
portion 8a and the in-camera portion 8b (mentioned above)
constituting the camera unit 8 shown in the block diagram of FIG.
1. Primarily, the main camera portion 8a is used to capture images
of, for example, other users (other than the user of the present
mobile phone) and scenery, while the second camera portion 8b is
used to capture, for example, an image of the user of the present
mobile phone (so-called "self-image capture").
OUTLINE OF LIFETIME CALENDAR
[0056] The mobile phone of the present embodiment has a function
(lifetime calendar display function) that handles in batch various
contents and that list-displays the contents in the form of the
aforementioned "lifetime calendar" which displays the contents in
the form of a list or calendar in time series. The contents are,
but not limited to, image contents (still and motion image
contents), e-mail contents, schedule contents, and telephone
directory contents that, ordinarily, are handled independently of
one another by corresponding dedicated application programs.
[0057] The lifetime calendar is displayed under the control of the
controller portion 12 that operates in accordance with a lifetime
calendar application program application stored in the memory 11.
The lifetime calendar application program is a contents-launcher
software linked with an application program for the respective
content. More specifically, when executing, for example, editing, a
dedicated application program corresponding to a content to be
edited is activated.
[0058] A content for display on the lifetime calendar is
arbitrarily specifiable in accordance with a "display setting
function" and "filter setting function" described further
below.
[0059] The lifetime calendar application program further has a
"rating function" that randomly selects a representative content
from among a plurality of contents by using a random number. For
example, a case is now assumed that, for example, there are too
many still image contents to be collectively displayed at one time
(or, "batch-display," hereinbelow). In such a case, the controller
portion 12 randomly selects a representative a still image content
in accordance with the "rating function," and graphically displays
it on the lifetime calendar.
[0060] Further, the representative content to be graphically
displayed when contents cannot be displayed at one time on the
lifetime calendar is changed at predetermined timing. In this case,
a content other than contents once displayed is selected and
displayed as a representative content.
[0061] In the mobile phone of the present embodiment, a "focus" on
the lifetime calendar is moved corresponding to the operation of
the operation portion 6, thereby to manipulate the lifetime
calendar. The focus is a display pattern for displaying a frame
portion or entirety of a display item such as a menu, content, or
the like being selected by changing the brightness and/or display
color from that of a non-selected menu or content. Description
herebelow will use such an expression as "the focus is positioned
on . . . " and its variations regarding operations for moving the
focus.
[0062] In the present example, a selected menu, content, or the
like is presented to be recognizable by the user in the manner that
the selected menu, content, or the like is "focus-positioned."
Alternately, however, the selected menu, content, or the like can
be presented to be recognized in the fashion of so-called cursor
movement.
[0063] The lifetime calendar application program further has a
"remembrance popup function." When the focus is positioned on any
date on the lifetime calendar for a predetermined time period or
longer, the remembrance popup function overlays and displays a
content corresponding to a past date (such as a one-year or
one-month previous date) with respect to the focus-positioned date
on a part of the lifetime calendar.
METADATA TO BE HANDLED ON LIFETIME CALENDAR
[0064] FIG. 3 shows types of respective contents to be handled by
the lifetime calendar application program and part of metadata for
the respective contents.
[0065] As seen in FIG. 3, the lifetime calendar application program
handles "still image contents," "received e-mail contents,"
"transmitted e-mail contents," "schedule contents," and "birthday
content" stored in the telephone directory.
[0066] Thus, as the types of contents to be handled by the lifetime
calendar application program, FIG. 3 shows the still image
contents, received e-mail contents, transmitted e-mail contents,
schedule contents, and birthday contents that are stored in the
telephone directory. However, not only those contents, but also
contents such as motion image contents and music contents are
handled by the lifetime calendar application program.
METADATA FOR STILL IMAGE CONTENTS
[0067] For a "still image content," respective items of metadata
are used for capture time/storage time data, thumbnail images,
managing titles, file type icons (still image icons), file size
icons, and acquisition source icons.
[0068] The capture time data represents information of time that is
measured by the timer 10. When storing a still image captured or
acquired by the camera unit 8 into the memory 11, the information
of time is extracted and added by the controller portion 12 to a
still image content.
[0069] However, among still images, a still image downloaded from a
predetermined Web site is not provided with such added capture time
data. In such a case, when storing a still image content into the
memory 11, the controller portion 12 extracts information of time
(=storage time) from the timer 10, and then adds the information of
time to the still image. The presentation "capture time/storage
time" in FIG. 3 refers to that in the above-described case.
[0070] The thumbnail image is an image having a size of, for
example, 120 dots.times.160 dots formed by the controller portion
12. More specifically, when displaying a thumbnail image, the
controller portion 12 forms the thumbnail image in real time in
accordance with a source still image content stored in the memory
11. When displaying a thumbnail image of a motion image content on
the lifetime calendar, the controller portion 12 forms a thumbnail
image having the size of, for example, 120 dots.times.160 dots in
real time from, for example, a first frame image corresponding to
the motion image content, and then displays the thumbnail image on
the lifetime calendar.
[0071] The managing title is data indicative of a title of a still
image content. When storing a still image content captured or
acquired by the camera unit 8 into the memory 11, the controller
portion 12 automatically adds to the still image content an image
date and capture time corresponding to current information of time
extracted from the timer 10. That is, as a managing title of a
still image content captured or acquired by the camera unit 8, a
capture date and capture time are automatically added to the image
in the first stage.
[0072] The managing title is editable after the still image content
has been stored into the memory 11. For editing a desired managing
title, a user displays a managing-title edit screen at a desired
timing and operates the operation portion 6, thereby inputting the
desired managing title on the screen. In response, the controller
portion 12 overwrites the managing title input by the user with the
capture date and capture time automatically added to the still
image content. Thereby, the managing title of the still image
content is altered to a desired managing title.
[0073] For a still image content already having an added managing
title among still image contents acquired by, for example,
downloading from predetermined Web sites, the controller portion 12
handles the added managing title as it is. For a still image
contents without having an added managing title, however, the
controller portion 12 adds the date and time of the downloading
operation as a managing title. The automatically added managing
title also is arbitrarily alterable by the user on the managing
title edit screen.
[0074] On the lifetime calendar, various image formats are
handleable, such as JPEG, GIF (inclusive of an animation GIF) (GIF:
Graphic Interchange Format), SWF ("Shockwave Flash" (stored
trademark), and IFM (stamp and frame) formats.
[0075] The file type icon (still image icon) is an icon indicative
of the presence of a still image content in any one of the
aforementioned image formats. The file size icon is an icon
indicative of the file size of a still image content.
[0076] The acquisition source icon is an icon indicative of an
acquisition source of the still image content. For, for example, a
still image content captured or acquired by the camera unit 8, the
lifetime calendar displays an icon indicative that the acquisition
source is the camera unit 8. Alternately, for, for example, a still
image content downloaded from a predetermined Web site, the
calendar displays an icon indicative that the acquisition source is
the Web site.
[0077] In the event that, for example, graphical display of a still
image content on the lifetime calendar is specified, the controller
portion 12 operates to display the specified still image content in
accordance with the viewer function of the camera control program
stored in the memory 11.
METADATA FOR RECEIVED E-MAIL CONTENTS
[0078] For a "received e-mail content," items of metadata for
reception time data, file type icon (received mail icon), "From"
icon, transmission source name/transmission source address (or,
"transmission source name/address," hereafter), attached data icon,
transmission source image, subject-name icon, and subject-name data
are handled on the lifetime calendar.
[0079] The reception time data is data indicative of the time of
receipt of a corresponding e-mail piece. The controller portion 12
extracts information of time from the timer 10 at the timing of
receipt of an e-mail piece, adds the extracted information of time
to the received e-mail piece, and stores the e-mail piece into the
memory 11. The controller portion 12 graphically displays on the
lifetime calendar the information of time added to the e-mail piece
as reception time data.
[0080] The file type icon (received mail icon) is an icon
indicative of the presence of a received e-mail content. One
example is an icon that is formed of a sealed letter image with a
down-pointing arrow to thereby represent the received e-mail
content.
[0081] The "From" icon is an icon indicative of a display field for
a transmission source name, and is represented by the word
"From."
[0082] The transmission source image is an image of a respective
user registered in the telephone directory. More specifically,
registration fields for images of respective users are provided in
the telephone directory stored in the memory 11. In a normal case,
the user of the mobile phone stores a photographic image of, for
example, a respective image of the user's face captured or acquired
by the camera unit 8 into the registration fields of the telephone
directory. The controller portion 12 searches the telephone
directory in accordance with an e-mail address accompanying a
received e-mail content. Thereby, the controller portion 12 detects
a photographic image (=transmission source image) of a user or a
transmission source of the received e-mail content, and displays
the image on the lifetime calendar. In this event, a case can takes
place in which an image size of the image stored in the telephone
directory is different from a display size on the lifetime
calendar. In this case, the controller portion 12 performs a
compacting or enlarging process of the image to an image having the
size of, for example, 120 dots.times.160 dots, and then displays
the image on the lifetime calendar.
[0083] The transmission source name/address is data indicative of a
transmission source of a received e-mail piece. As the data
indicative of the transmission source of the received e-mail piece,
anyone of the transmission source name and address is displayed on
the lifetime calendar through operation of the controller portion
12.
[0084] More specifically, according to the controller portion 12,
the priority for display on the lifetime calendar is determined to
be the order as: transmission source image, transmission source
name, and then transmission source address. When a transmission
source image, name, and address corresponding to a received e-mail
piece are stored in the telephone directory, the transmission
source image is graphically displayed on the lifetime calendar.
Alternately, when a transmission source image corresponding to a
received e-mail piece is not stored, but the transmission source
name and address are stored therein, the transmission source name
is displayed on the lifetime calendar. Alternately, when a
transmission source image and name corresponding to a received
e-mail piece are not stored in the telephone directory, but when
only a transmission source address is stored in the telephone
directory or is unstored therein, the transmission source address
is displayed on the lifetime calendar.
[0085] The attached data icon is an icon that is displayed on the
lifetime calendar through operation of the controller portion 12 in
the case of a received e-mail piece accompanying attached data such
as image data and/or music data. One example is an icon of a clip
image displayed as the attached data icon on the lifetime calendar
through operation of the controller portion 12, whereby the
presence of the attached data is displayed to the user.
[0086] The subject-name icon is an icon indicative of a display
field for a caption (subject name) given to a received e-mail
content. The subject-name data is a caption (subject name) given to
a received e-mail content. The subject-name data, which is given to
the received e-mail piece, to be adjacent the subject-name icon is
displayed on the lifetime calendar.
[0087] In the event that displaying or the like of a received
e-mail content is specified on the lifetime calendar, the
controller portion 12 activates the e-mail management program,
which is stored in the memory 11, thereby to display text and the
like of the specified received e-mail content.
[0088] In the event that display or the like of attached data
attached to a received e-mail content is specified on the lifetime
calendar, the controller portion 12 activates an application
program corresponding to the attached data, thereby to graphically
display the specified attached data. For example, in the case that
a still image is attached as attached data, when graphical display
of the attached data is specified on the lifetime calendar, the
controller portion 12 graphically displays on the lifetime calendar
the still image (attached data) in accordance with the viewer
function of the camera control program stored in the memory 11.
Similarly, for example, in the case of a music content attached as
attached data, when regeneration of the attached data is specified
on the lifetime calendar, the music content (attached data) is
played back in accordance with the music player program stored in
the memory 11.
METADATA FOR TRANSMITTED E-MAIL CONTENTS
[0089] For a "transmitted e-mail content," items of metadata for
transmission time data, file type icon (transmitted e-mail icon),
"To" icon, addressee name/address, plural-persons icon, attached
data icon, addressee image, subject-name icon, and subject-name
data are handled on the lifetime calendar.
[0090] The transmission time data is data indicative of the time of
transmission of a corresponding e-mail piece. The controller
portion 12 extracts information of time from the timer 10 at the
timing of transmission of an e-mail piece, adds the extracted
information of time to the transmitted e-mail piece, and stores the
e-mail piece into the memory 11. The controller portion 12
graphically displays the information of time added to the e-mail
piece on the lifetime calendar as transmission time data.
[0091] The file type icon (transmitted e-mail icon) is an icon
indicative of the presence of a transmitted e-mail content. One
example is an icon that is formed of a sealed letter image with an
up-pointing arrow representing transmission.
[0092] The "To" icon is an icon indicative of a display field for a
user name (addressee name), and is represented by the word
"To."
[0093] Similar to the transmission source image, the addressee
image is an image of a respective user registered in the telephone
directory. On the lifetime calendar, images of respective users
stored in the telephone directory are handled as "transmission
source images" and "addressee images." As described above, in the
case that the image size of an image stored in the telephone
directory is different from the display size on the lifetime
calendar, the controller portion 12 graphically displays the image
on the lifetime calendar by performing the compacting or enlarging
process of the image.
[0094] The addressee name/address is data indicative of an
addressee of a transmitted e-mail piece. As the data indicative of
the addressee of the transmitted e-mail piece, anyone of the
addressee name and address is displayed on the lifetime
calendar.
[0095] More specifically, according to the controller portion 12,
the priority for graphical display on the lifetime calendar is
determined to be the order as: addressee image, addressee name, and
then addressee address. When an addressee image, name, and address
corresponding to a transmitted e-mail piece are stored in the
telephone directory, the addressee image is graphically displayed
on the lifetime calendar. Alternately, when an addressee image
corresponding to a transmitted e-mail piece is not stored, but the
addressee name and address are stored therein, the addressee name
is displayed on the lifetime calendar. Alternately, when a
addressee image and name corresponding to a transmitted e-mail
piece are not stored in the telephone directory, but when only an
addressee address is stored in the telephone directory or is
unstored therein, the addressee address is displayed on the
lifetime calendar.
[0096] The plural-persons icon is an icon that is displayed when a
corresponding transmitted e-mail content is an e-mail piece
synchronously transmitted to plural users. One example of the
plural-persons icon is an icon formed from an image of three
persons, thereby to enable the user to intuitively recognize that
the e-mail piece has been synchronously transmitted to plural
persons.
[0097] In the present example, while the plural-persons icon is
designed to be displayed only for an e-mail piece having been
synchronously transmitted to plural persons, such as described
above, the presentation manner is not limited thereto. The
functional arrangement can be such that even when a received e-mail
piece having been synchronously transmitted to plural persons, the
plural-persons icon is displayed, thereby to indicate that the
received e-mail piece has been synchronously transmitted to the
plural persons.
[0098] The attached data icon is an icon that is displayed on the
lifetime calendar through operation of the controller portion 12 in
the case of a transmitted e-mail piece accompanying attached data
such as image data and/or music data. One example is the icon of
the clip image, as described above.
[0099] The subject-name icon is an icon indicative of a display
field for a caption (subject name) given to a transmitted e-mail
content. The subject-name data is a caption (subject name) given to
a transmitted e-mail content. The controller portion 12 graphically
displays on the lifetime calendar the subject-name data, which is
given to the transmitted e-mail piece, to be adjacent the
subject-name icon on the lifetime calendar.
[0100] In the event that, for example, display of a transmitted
e-mail content is specified on the lifetime calendar, the
controller portion 12 activates the e-mail management program,
which is stored in the memory 11, thereby to display text and the
like of the specified transmitted e-mail content.
[0101] In the event that, for example, display of attached data
attached to a transmitted e-mail content is specified on the
lifetime calendar, the controller portion 12 activates an
application program corresponding to the attached data, thereby to
display the specified attached data. For example, in the case that
a still image is attached as attached data, when display of the
attached data is specified on the lifetime calendar, the controller
portion 12 graphically displays the still image (attached data) in
accordance with the viewer function of the camera control program
stored in the memory 11. Similarly, for example, in the case of a
music content attached as attached data, when regeneration of the
attached data is specified on the lifetime calendar, the music
content (attached data) is played back in accordance with the music
player program stored in the memory 11.
METADATA FOR SCHEDULE CONTENTS
[0102] For a "schedule content," items of metadata for schedule
start time data, file type icon (schedule icon), classification
icon, data indicative of a schedule summary/content, alarm icon,
data indicative of alarm ON/OFF setting, and holiday setting data
are handled on the lifetime calendar.
[0103] The schedule start time data is data indicative of schedule
start time data stored in the scheduler. For graphically displaying
a schedule on the lifetime calendar, the controller portion 12
detects a schedule start time stored in the scheduler, and displays
the detected schedule start time on the lifetime calendar.
[0104] The file type icon (schedule icon) is an icon indicative of
the presence of a schedule. For one example, the schedule icon is
an icon of an image of a calendar and pencil as a motif and is
displayed on the lifetime calendar.
[0105] The classification icon is an icon indicative of the
classification of stored schedules. When storing a schedule into
the scheduler, the user selects a classification icon corresponding
to a stored schedule from list-displayed classification icons. The
lifetime calendar displays the classification icon selected when
the schedule has been selected by the user, together with the
schedule start time.
[0106] Data indicative of a schedule summary/content is data input
into the field for a caption (subject name) of a schedule when the
user stores the schedule. The lifetime calendar graphically
displays the data input into the caption field as a summary of the
schedule.
[0107] When nothing is input into the caption field for the
schedule, the controller portion 12 graphically displays on the
lifetime calendar a character string of, for example, 10 characters
from the top of a character string input into a field for the
content (content field) of the schedule. The "schedule
summary/content" shown in FIG. 3 refer to the above described.
[0108] The alarm icon is an icon formed from an image of, for
example, a bell, as a motif. The data indicative of the alarm
ON/OFF setting is data indicative of whether the alarm setting is
specified for the schedule. When the alarm setting is specified for
the schedule, the lifetime calendar displays the word "ON" to be
adjacent the alarm icon formed from the bell image. Otherwise, when
the alarm setting is not specified for the schedule, the lifetime
calendar displays the word "OFF" to be adjacent the alarm icon
formed from the bell image.
[0109] The holiday setting data is data indicative of a holiday
specified by the user for the scheduler. For example, when the user
personally is scheduled to have a day off on a date corresponding
to a general weekday, the date corresponding to the day off can be
stored by the user on the scheduler as a holiday. The controller
portion 12 determines from the scheduler whether a holiday setting
is specified for a displayed date on the lifetime calendar. If a
holiday setting is specified for the displayed date, then the
controller portion 12 performs a process of altering the display
mode, such as a process of altering a display color of a
corresponding date field, for the displayed date, and displays the
result on the lifetime calendar.
[0110] When, for example, graphical display of a schedule is
specified on the lifetime calendar, the controller portion 12
activates the scheduler management program stored in the memory 11
thereby to graphically display the content or the like of the
specified schedule.
[0111] Suppose that, for registration of a schedule into the
scheduler, the functional arrangement allows inputting a "location"
such as a "company," "school," or "house" where an event of the
schedule takes place. In this case, the functional arrangement can
be such that the controller portion 12 reads from the scheduler the
location where the event of the schedule takes place, and
graphically displays the location on the lifetime calendar.
METADATA FOR BIRTHDAY CONTENTS
[0112] For a "birthday content," items of metadata for birthdate
data, user name, file type icon (birthday icon), frame image
(image-frame image), and thumbnail image are handled on the
lifetime calendar.
[0113] In the mobile phone of the present embodiment, the telephone
directory includes registration fields for not only user names of
users, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses, but also still
images taken of the users, frame images (or, image frames), and
birthdates.
[0114] Further, in the mobile phone of the present embodiment,
registration fields for private information of the user or user of
the mobile phone are provided separately from the telephone
directory described above. The private information includes, for
example, a still image, frame image (image frame), address, e-mail
address, mobile phone number, and birthdate.
[0115] In accordance with the telephone directory or respective
items of information stored in the private information registration
fields, a birthday icon, still image, and user name are displayed
in the respective corresponding display field on the lifetime
calendar. The birthday icon is an icon of, for example, a cake
image, frame image (image frame of, for example, a flower image(s))
(which, alternately, can be a frame image selected by the owner or
user of the mobile phone from a plurality of frame images). The
still image is a still image of the face or the like of a user
whose birthday corresponds to the displayed date or still image of
the face or the like of the user of the mobile phone. The user name
is a user name of a user whose birthday corresponds to the
displayed date or user name of the user of the mobile phone. These
items are displayed on a display field for a date corresponding to
the birthday of the user registered in the telephone directory or a
display field for a date corresponding to the birthday of the user
of the mobile phone stored in the private information registration
fields.
[0116] When the "birthday content" is selected on the lifetime
calendar, the controller portion 12 activates an application
program corresponding to the telephone directory, thereby to
perform display control of the private information registration
fields for the user corresponding to the "birthday content."
Alternatively, the controller portion 12 activates an application
program for displaying the private information of the user of the
mobile phone, thereby to perform display control of the private
information registration fields for the user of the mobile phone
which fields correspond to the "birthday contents."
DETAILS ON SETTING OF LIFETIME CALENDAR
[0117] Items such as the presence or absence of a display of the
respective content being handled on the lifetime calendar and the
time until the content is graphically displayed are specifiable on
a setting screen for the lifetime calendar. For setting the items,
the user operates the operation portion 6 and thereby causes an
overall setting menu to be displayed on the display portion 5.
Then, the user selects a setting menu for the lifetime calendar
from the overall setting menu. In response to the operation, a
lifetime calendar setup screen ("LTC Setup Screen") shown in FIG.
4A is displayed on the display portion 5.
[0118] The LTC Setup Screen displays setting menus entitled
"Display Setting," "Filter Setting," and "Remembrance Display
Time." In response to an up-down operation of the cross key 24
(shown in FIG. 2A) by a user, the controller portion 12 performs
moving and displaying control of the focus to be moved and
displayed among the "Display Setting," "Filter Setting," and
"Remembrance Display Time" setting menus among or across the
"Display Setting," "Filter Setting," and "Remembrance Display Time"
setting menus.
[0119] When the focus is positioned on the respective setup menu
through the moving and displaying control, an explanatory text
regarding the focus-positioned setting menu is graphically
displayed. More specifically, FIG. 4A shows an example in which the
focus is set on the "Filter Setting" setting menu. In this case, an
explanatory text, such as saying "A received mail from an address
unstored in the telephone directory is held non-displayed," is
graphically displayed in a marginal area of the display portion 5.
Thus, explanatory texts of focus-positioned setting menu items are
displayed. Thereby, the user is enabled to recognize the set
contents of a currently focus-positioned setting menu and is
enabled to easily select a user-desired setting menu.
[0120] Then, through an up-down operation of the cross key 24, the
user moves the focus to desired one of the "Display Setting,"
"Filter Setting," and "Remembrance Display Time" setting menus, and
then depresses the enter key 25.
DISPLAY SETTING
[0121] "Display Setting" will be described hereinbelow. In the
state of the focus being positioned on the "Display Setting"
setting menu, when the enter key 25 is depressed, a display screen
displaying the "Display Setting" setting menu as shown in FIG. 4B
is displayed. The "Display Setting" setting menu is used to set
whether to graphically display a still image content, received
e-mail content, transmitted e-mail content, schedule content, and
birthday content on the lifetime calendar.
[0122] More specifically, the controller portion 12 operates to
display respective setting menu items corresponding to the still
image content, received e-mail content, transmitted e-mail content,
schedule content, and birthday content, as setting menu items of
"Display Setting" setting menu.
[0123] Of those setting menu items, the "still image content"
setting menu is a menu for specifying, for example, the presence or
absence of the graphical display of a still image and for
specifying a folder that contains still images for graphical
display.
[0124] When not restricting a still image for graphical display on
the lifetime calendar, the user selects "All Display" from a
pull-down menu of "All Display," "Specified Display," and
"Non-display." When "All Display" is selected, a still image for
graphical display on the lifetime calendar is selected from all
still images stored in the mobile phone, and is graphically
displayed.
[0125] When not graphically displaying the still image on the
lifetime calendar, the user selects "Non-display" from the
pull-down menu of "All Display," "Specified Display," and
"Non-display." When "Non-display" is selected, the controller
portion 12 excludes the all still images stored in the mobile phone
from graphical display targets for graphical display on the
lifetime calendar. As such, when "Non-display" is selected, no
still image (stored in the mobile phone) is graphically displayed
on the lifetime calendar.
[0126] When specifying a folder containing still images for display
on the lifetime calendar, the user selects "Specified Display" from
the pull-down menu of "All Display," "Specified Display," and
"Non-display." When "Specified Display" is selected, a selection
field of "Folder Specification" is highest-tone displayed. More
specifically, when either "All Display" or "Non-display" is
selected from the pull-down menu, the selection field of "Folder
Specification" is half-tone displayed (gray displayed), thereby
displaying to the user that the selection field of "Folder
Specification" is non-active. When "Specified Display" is selected,
however, the selection field of "Folder Specification" is
highest-tone displayed, thereby displaying to the user that the
selection field of "Folder Specification" is active.
[0127] In the mobile phone of the present embodiment, the user can
classify, for example, still images by, for example, capture time
or title, and can store the classified still images into a
plurality of still image folders formed in the memory 11. Still
images in this case may be, for example, still images captured or
acquired by the camera portion 8, still images downloaded across a
network or the like, and still images attached to transmitted and
received mail pieces. Having shifted the selection field of the
"Folder Specification" to be active, the user specifies a desired
one of folders. When the specification is made (or in response to
the specification), the controller portion 12 graphically displays
on the lifetime calendar only a still image(s) stored in the folder
specified by the user.
[0128] The "received e-mail content" setting menu item will now be
described hereinbelow. The "received e-mail content" setting menu
item is used to set, for example, the presence or absence of a
graphical display of a received e-mail piece on the lifetime
calendar, a folder containing received e-mail pieces for graphical
display, e-mail addresses, and types of the received e-mail
contents.
[0129] When all received e-mail pieces can be graphically displayed
on the lifetime calendar, the user selects "All Display" from the
pull-down menu of "All Display," "Specified Display," and
"Non-display." When "All Display" is selected, a received e-mail
piece for graphical display on the lifetime calendar is selected
from all received e-mail pieces stored in the mobile phone, and is
graphically displayed thereon.
[0130] When not graphically displaying the received e-mail piece on
the lifetime calendar, the user selects "Non-display" from the
pull-down menu of "All Display," "Specified Display," and
"Non-display." When "Non-display" is selected, the controller
portion 12 excludes the all received e-mail contents stored in the
mobile phone from graphical display targets for graphical display
on the lifetime calendar. As such, when "Non-display" is selected,
no received e-mail content is graphically displayed on the lifetime
calendar.
[0131] Alternately, for graphically displaying only a specified
received e-mail content on the lifetime calendar, the user selects
"Specified Display" from the pull-down menu of "All Display,"
"Specified Display," and "Non-display." When "Specified Display" is
selected, highest-tone display is performed to display respective
selection fields of "Folder Specification," "Mail Address
Specification," and "Protection Specification."
[0132] More specifically, in the event that either "All Display" or
"Non-display" is selected from the pull-down menu, the respective
selection fields of "Folder Specification," "Mail Address
Specification," and "Protection Specification" are half-tone
displayed (gray displayed), thereby displaying to the user that the
respective selection fields are non-active. When "Specified
Display" is selected, however, the respective selection fields of
"Folder Specification," "Mail Address Specification," and
"Protection Specification" are highest-tone displayed, thereby
displaying to the user that the respective selection fields have
become active.
[0133] In the mobile phone of the present embodiment, a plurality
of received e-mail folders can be formed in the memory 11. Thereby,
the user is enabled to classify received e-mail contents by
classifying the contents by, for example, respective receive times
and transmitted users of the received e-mail contents and to store
the classified received e-mail contents into corresponding folders.
As such, when specifying "Folder Specification" field, the user
specifies a desired one of the folders containing classified
received e-mail pieces. Alternatively, when received e-mail pieces
stored in all the folders can be displayed, the user enters a
specification for all the folders. In response to the
specification, the controller portion 12 graphically displays on
the lifetime calendar only a received e-mail piece(s) stored in the
specified folder.
[0134] When specifying "Mail Address Specification," the user
specifies an e-mail address of a user or sender of a received
e-mail piece. E-mail address specification is carried out by
specifying a desired user (=desired e-mail address) from the
telephone directory, transmission ranking (ranking sequentially
indicative of users in order of relatively larger numbers of
transmission times for the users), and reception ranking (ranking
sequentially indicative of users in order of relatively larger
numbers of reception times from the users). The e-mail address
specification can be carried out in the manner that the user
directly input the address through operation of the operation
portion 6. In response to the e-mail address specification, the
controller portion 12 graphically displays on the lifetime calendar
only the received e-mail piece having the e-mail address specified
by the user.
[0135] Further, in the mobile phone of the present embodiment,
"Protection Setting" for preventing inadvertent erasure or
mis-erasure of a desired one of received e-mail pieces. As such, of
the all received e-mail pieces stored in the mobile phone, only a
received e-mail piece specified to "Protection Setting" (i.e., only
a protection-set received e-mail piece) can be graphically
displayed as a received e-mail content on the lifetime
calendar.
[0136] More specifically, "All Display" and "Protected Mail Only"
selection options are provided for a selection field of "Protection
Specification." When all received e-mail pieces stored in the
mobile phone can be graphically displayed, the user selects the
"All Display" menu item. When the selection is made, received
e-mail contents are graphically displayed on the lifetime calendar,
regardless of whether the protection setting is specified for the
received e-mail pieces (i.e., whether the received e-mail pieces
are protection-set received e-mail pieces). Alternately, for
graphically displaying only a protection-set one of the all
received e-mail pieces on the lifetime calendar, the user selects
the "Protected Mail Only" selection option. In response to the
selection, the controller portion 12 graphically displays only the
protection-set e-mail piece on the lifetime calendar.
[0137] As described above, according to the mobile phone of the
present embodiment, a received e-mail content for graphical display
on the lifetime calendar is specifiable with the display condition
for, the folder containing the content, the presence or absence of
the protection setting, and the like conditions. When a plurality
of such display conditions are set by the user, the controller
portion 12 graphically displays on the lifetime calendar only a
received e-mail content satisfying all the display conditions.
[0138] The "transmitted e-mail content" setting menu item will now
be described hereinbelow. The "transmitted e-mail content" setting
menu item is used to set, for example, the presence or absence of a
graphical display of a transmitted e-mail piece on the lifetime
calendar, a folder containing transmitted e-mail pieces for
graphical display, e-mail addresses, and types of the transmitted
e-mail contents.
[0139] When not restricting a transmitted e-mail piece for
graphical display on the lifetime calendar, the user selects "All
Display" from the pull-down menu of "All Display," "Specified
Display," and "Non-display." When "All Display" is selected, a
transmitted e-mail piece for graphical display on the lifetime
calendar is selected from all transmitted e-mail pieces stored in
the mobile phone, and is graphically displayed thereon.
[0140] Alternately, when not graphically displaying the transmitted
e-mail piece on the lifetime calendar, the user selects
"Non-display" from the pull-down menu of "All Display," "Specified
Display," and "Non-display." When "Non-display" is selected, the
controller portion 12 excludes the all transmitted e-mail contents
stored in the mobile phone from graphical display targets for
graphical display on the lifetime calendar. As such, when
"Non-display" is selected, no transmitted e-mail content is
graphically displayed on the lifetime calendar.
[0141] Alternately, for graphically displaying only a specified
transmitted e-mail content on the lifetime calendar, the user
selects "Specified Display" from the pull-down menu of "All
Display," "Specified Display," and "Non-display." When "Specified
Display" is selected, highest-tone display is performed to display
respective selection fields of "Folder Specification," "Mail
Address Specification," and "Protection Specification," thereby
displaying to the user that the respective selection fields have
become active.
[0142] Similarly as in the previous case described above, a
plurality of transmitted e-mail folders can be formed in the memory
11. Thereby, the user is enabled to classify transmitted e-mail
contents by classifying the contents by, for example, respective
transmission times of the transmitted e-mail contents and
respective users corresponding to transmission addressees
(recipients) of the transmitted e-mail pieces and to store the
classified transmitted e-mail contents into corresponding folders.
As such, when specifying "Folder Specification" field, the user
specifies a desired one of the folders containing classified
transmitted e-mail pieces. Alternatively, when transmitted e-mail
pieces stored in all the folders can be graphically displayed, the
user enters a specification for all the folders. In response to the
specification, the controller portion 12 graphically displays on
the lifetime calendar only a transmitted e-mail piece(s) stored in
the specified folder.
[0143] When specifying "Mail Address Specification," the user
specifies an e-mail address of a user, i.e., addressee address of a
transmitted e-mail piece. E-mail address specification is carried
out by specifying a desired user (=desired e-mail address) from the
telephone directory, transmission ranking (ranking sequentially
indicative of users in order of relatively larger numbers of
transmission times for the users), and reception ranking (ranking
sequentially indicative of users in order of relatively larger
numbers of reception times from the users).
[0144] The e-mail address specification can be carried out in the
manner that the user directly input the address through operation
of the operation portion 6. In response to the e-mail address
specification, the controller portion 12 graphically displays on
the lifetime calendar only the transmitted e-mail piece having the
e-mail address specified by the user.
[0145] Further, in the mobile phone of the present embodiment,
"Protection Setting" for preventing inadvertent erasure or
mis-erasure of a desired one of transmitted e-mail pieces. As such,
of the all transmitted e-mail pieces stored in the mobile phone,
only a transmitted e-mail piece specified to "Protection Setting"
(i.e., only a protection-set transmitted e-mail piece) can be
graphically displayed as a transmitted e-mail piece on the lifetime
calendar.
[0146] More specifically, "All Display" and "Protected Mail Only"
selection options are provided for the selection field of
"Protection Specification." When the all transmitted e-mail
contents stored in the mobile phone can be graphically displayed,
the user selects the "All Display" menu item. When the selection is
made, transmitted e-mail contents are graphically displayed on the
lifetime calendar, regardless of whether the transmitted e-mail
pieces are protection-set transmitted e-mail pieces.
[0147] Alternately, for graphically displaying only a
protection-set one of the all transmitted e-mail pieces on the
lifetime calendar, the user selects the "Protected Mail Only"
selection option. In response to the selection, only the
protection-set e-mail content is graphically displayed on the
lifetime calendar.
[0148] As described above, according to the mobile phone of the
present embodiment, a transmitted e-mail content for graphical
display on the lifetime calendar is specifiable with the display
condition for, the folder containing the content, the presence or
absence of the protection setting, or the like conditions. When a
plurality of such display conditions are set by the user, only a
transmitted e-mail content satisfying all the display conditions is
graphically displayed on the lifetime calendar.
[0149] The "schedule content" setting menu item will now be
described hereinbelow. The "schedule content" setting menu item is
used to set, for example, the presence or absence of a graphical
display of a schedule on the lifetime calendar and classification
of schedule(s) for graphical display.
[0150] When all schedules for graphical display on the lifetime
calendar can be graphically displayed, the user selects "All
Display" from the pull-down menu of "All Display," "Specified
Display," and "Non-display." When "All Display" is selected, a
schedule for graphical display on the lifetime calendar is selected
from all schedules stored in the scheduler of the mobile phone, and
is graphically displayed thereon.
[0151] Alternately, when not graphically displaying the schedule on
the lifetime calendar, the user selects "Non-display" from the
pull-down menu of "All Display," "Specified Display," and
"Non-display." When "Non-display" is selected, the controller
portion 12 excludes the all schedules stored in the scheduler of
the mobile phone from graphical display targets for graphical
display on the lifetime calendar. As such, when "Non-display" is
selected, no schedule is graphically displayed on the lifetime
calendar.
[0152] Alternately, when specifying the classification of a
schedule on the lifetime calendar, the user selects "Specified
Display" from the pull-down menu of "All Display," "Specified
Display," and "Non-display." When "Specified Display" is selected,
highest-tone display is performed to display the selection field of
"Classification Selection," thereby displaying to the user that the
field has become active.
[0153] In the mobile phone, in the event of schedule registration,
the classification of a schedule of a company, school, meal, drive,
sports, or the like event is set. As such, when using
"Classification Selection," the user specifies a desired
classification of a schedule. In response to the specification, the
controller portion 12 graphically displays on the lifetime calendar
only the user-specified classified one (schedule) of the all
schedules stored in the scheduler.
[0154] The "birthday content" setting menu item will now be
described hereinbelow. The "birthday content" setting menu item is
used to set whether to graphically display a "birthday content" on
the lifetime calendar. When permitting graphical display on the
lifetime calendar, birthday contents corresponding to all users
stored in the telephone directory and the birthday content stored
in the registration field of private information, the user selects
"All Display" from the pull-down menu of "All Display," "Specified
Display," and "Non-display." When "All Display" is selected, the
controller portion 12 recognizes displays the all users' birthday
contents stored in the telephone directory and the birthday content
stored in the registration field of private information
corresponding to the information on the user of the mobile phone,
as graphical display targets for graphical display on the lifetime
calendar.
[0155] Alternately, when not graphically displaying the schedule on
the lifetime calendar, the user selects "Non-display" from the
pull-down menu of "All Display," "Specified Display," and
"Non-display." When "Non-display" is selected, the controller
portion 12 excludes the all birthday contents corresponding to
users and the birthday content stored in the registration field of
private information from graphical display targets for graphical
display on the lifetime calendar. As such, when "Non-display" is
selected, no birthday content is graphically displayed on the
lifetime calendar.
FILTER SETTING
[0156] "Filter Setting" will now be described hereinbelow. In the
state of the focus being positioned on the "Filter Setting" setting
menu shown in FIG. 4A, upon detection of an operation of depression
of the enter key 25, the controller portion 12 causes a pull-down
menu of "ON" and OFF" to be active. The "Filter Setting" setting
menu is used to set whether to graphical display on the lifetime
calendar a received e-mail piece (content) having an e-mail address
unstored in the telephone directory.
[0157] When not graphically displaying on the lifetime calendar the
received e-mail content having an e-mail address unstored in the
telephone directory, the user selects "OFF" from the pull-down menu
of "ON" and OFF." When "OFF" is selected, the controller portion 12
excludes the received e-mail content having an e-mail address
unstored in the telephone directory from a graphical display target
for graphical display on the lifetime calendar. As such, in this
case, the received e-mail content having an e-mail address unstored
in the telephone directory is not graphically displayed on the
lifetime calendar.
[0158] Alternately, when the received e-mail content having an
e-mail address unstored in the telephone directory can be displayed
on the lifetime calendar, the user selects "ON" from the pull-down
menu of "ON" and OFF." When "ON" is selected, the received e-mail
content is graphically displayed on the lifetime calendar,
regardless of the presence or absence of the e-mail address
registration.
[0159] Thus, with "Filter Setting," the option is set for
displaying a received e-mail content having an e-mail address
unstored in the telephone directory. A similar arrangement can be
made such that an option can be settable for graphically displaying
a transmitted e-mail content having an e-mail address unstored in
the telephone directory.
REMEMBRANCE DISPLAY TIME
[0160] The "Remembrance Display Time" setting menu will now be
described hereinbelow. Although described in more detail below, the
mobile phone of the present embodiment has the remembrance popup
function that provides popup display of various types of contents
corresponding to, for example, a date one-year previous to a
focus-positioned date, on the lifetime calendar. The "Remembrance
Display Time" setting menu is a setting menu to setting whether to
execute remembrance popup display, such as described above, and to
set the time until execution of the remembrance popup display.
[0161] In the state of the focus being positioned on the
"Remembrance Display Time" setting menu shown in FIG. 4A, upon
detection of an operation of depression of the enter key 25, the
controller portion 12 controls the pull-down menu of "Non-display,"
"Fast," "Normal," and "Slow" to be active. When not executing the
remembrance popup display, the user selects "Non-display" and then
depresses the enter key 25. When "Non-display" is selected, the
controller portion 12 operates to not execute the remembrance popup
display on the lifetime calendar.
[0162] The respective one of the "Fast," "Normal," and "Slow"
pull-down menu items is used to set the time until the execution of
the remembrance popup display. More specifically, in the mobile
phone, when the focus is positioned on any one any date on the
lifetime calendar for a predetermined time or longer (or, when
non-operation time is a predetermined time or longer), the
remembrance popup display is performed to present the popup display
of a content(s) corresponding to a past date with respect to the
focus-positioned date.
[0163] The respective one of the "Fast," "Normal," and "Slow"
pull-down menu items allows setting of the time until the execution
of the remembrance popup display. The user selects desired one of
the "Fast," "Normal," and "Slow" pull-down menu items.
[0164] When the "First" menu item is selected, the remembrance
popup display is executed after, for example, "5 seconds" has
elapsed since termination of user operation. Alternately, when the
"Normal" menu item is selected, the remembrance popup display is
executed after, for example, "7.5 seconds" has elapsed since
termination of user operation. Alternately, when the "Slow" menu
item is selected, the remembrance popup display is executed after,
for example, "10 seconds" has elapsed since the termination of user
operation. Thus, by selection of the desired one of the "Fast,"
"Normal," and "Slow" pull-down menu items during display of the
lifetime calendar, the user is able to set the time until the
execution of the remembrance popup display after the operation
state has entered the non-operation state to a desired time.
DISPLAY OPERATION OF LIFETIME CALENDAR
[0165] Display operation of and for the lifetime calendar will now
be described hereinbelow. To facilitate ease of understanding,
description hereinbelow will be given contemplating that, except
for motion image contents and music contents, still image contents,
schedule contents, birthday contents, transmitted e-mail contents,
and received e-mail contents are graphically displayed on the
lifetime calendar.
[0166] When desiring to display the lifetime calendar, the user
operates the operation portion 6 to select an item of activation of
the lifetime calendar from the main menu. When the selection is
made, the "calendar-view" lifetime calendar shown in FIG. 5 is
displayed as a default display on the display portion 5 in
accordance with the lifetime calendar application program.
CALENDAR VIEW
[0167] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing the flow of display control
operation of the controller portion 12 to display the calendar-view
lifetime calendar. In the flow diagram, the controller portion 12
detects an activation specification operation, which has been
performed by the user through the operation of the operation
portion 6, thereby to start the display control operation in
accordance with the lifetime calendar application program stored in
the memory 11.
[0168] At step S1, the controller portion 12 extracts information
of time indicative of a present date measured by the timer 10, and
then the process proceeds to step S2. At step S2, the controller
portion 12 reads settings specified in "Display Setting" and
settings specified in "Filter Setting" (respectively, "display
settings" and "filter settings," herebelow) stored in the memory
11, as described by reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B. Then,.the process
proceeds to step S3.
[0169] At step S3, the controller portion 12 detects from the
memory 11 a content(s) corresponding to the present date extracted
from the timer 10 from among contents permitted to be graphically
displayed on the lifetime calendar in accordance with the display
and filter settings read from the memory 11.
[0170] More specifically, a case is now assumed in which, for
example, the display and filter settings permit still image
contents, schedule contents, birthday contents, transmitted e-mail
contents, and received e-mail contents to be graphically displayed,
and the present date extracted from the timer 10 is Sep. 13, 2005.
In this case, the controller portion 12 detects from the memory 11
still image contents having information of time or storage
information corresponding to September 2005, received e-mail
contents corresponding to September 2005, transmitted e-mail
contents corresponding to September 2005, schedule contents
corresponding to September 2005, and birthday contents
corresponding to users each having a birthmonth of September
2005.
[0171] Similarly, another case is now assumed that, for example,
the display and filter settings permit only still image contents
and birthday contents to be graphically displayed, and the present
date extracted from the timer 10 is Oct. 1, 2006. In this case, the
controller portion 12 detects from the memory 11 still image
contents having information of time or storage information
corresponding October 2006 and birthday contents corresponding to
users each having a birthmonth of October 2006.
[0172] Subsequently, at step S4, the calendar-view lifetime
calendar is displayed on the display portion 5, thereby graphically
displaying the respective types of contents on the calendar-view
lifetime calendar. Then, at step S5, a display area on a current or
operation date (display area corresponding to the date of
activation of the lifetime calendar) is enlarged to be larger than
other display areas, and the focus is positioned on the enlarged
display area. Then, the process in accordance with the flow diagram
shown in FIG. 6 terminates.
[0173] FIG. 5 is a display example of the calendar-view lifetime
calendar displayed as a result of the process in accordance with
the flow diagram of FIG. 6. The display example of FIG. 5 is the
calendar-view lifetime calendar of September 2005, in which the
focus-positioned date corresponds to Wednesday, Sep. 13, 2005.
[0174] As seen from FIG. 5, relevant components are graphically
displayed. Above the calendar-view lifetime calendar, there is
displayed a date such as "09/13, 2005" corresponding to the display
field for the focus-positioned date. Beside the date, there are
displayed various icons that represent the respective types of
contents permitted by the user to be graphically displayed (i.e.,
various icons indicative of the present set state are displayed).
In addition, a month index indicative of a presently displayed
display month is displayed along the left-end longitudinal (long
side) direction of the display area. In the present example, since
the display month is September, the month index with the display of
number "09" is displayed. The controller portion 12 controls the
display field for the date corresponding to the current or
operation date to be displayed in a color (display color) different
from the display color for other dates, thereby making it easy for
the user to recognize the current or operation date.
[0175] The various icons (i.e., various icons displayed adjacent
the heading date) indicative of the set states, which are shown in
FIG. 5, include the following icons. An image of a cake with
candles (standing thereon) is an icon indicative of a birthday
content. An image of a calendar and pencil is an icon indicative of
a schedule content. A sealed letter image with an up-pointing arrow
is an icon indicative of a transmitted e-mail content. A sealed
letter image with a down-pointing arrow is an icon indicative of an
e-mail content. An image having a rectangular shape with an upper
right portion inwardly folded is an icon indicative of a still
image content. Of the various icons, color display is performed to
display an icon indicative of or representing a content permitted
by the user to be graphically displayed. On the other hand, an icon
representing a content not permitted by the user to be graphically
displayed is gray-displayed (or, half-tone displayed) as a gray
image. The difference in display enables the user to quickly (or at
one glance) recognize the type of content permitted to be
graphically displayed on the lifetime calendar.
[0176] In addition, icons representing contents detected in step S3
and/or thumbnail images of still image contents are displayed in
display fields for respective dates on the calendar-view lifetime
calendar.
[0177] A case can take place in which a plurality of still image
contents for graphical display in a display field for a same date
are present. In this case, the controller portion 12 selects one of
the plurality of still image contents by using a random number, and
displays a thumbnail image of the selected still image content in
the display field for the corresponding date. Such a thumbnail
image selected and displayed is updated at a predetermined timing
by using the "rating function" described further below.
[0178] Further, the controller portion 12 enlarges a display field
for Wednesday, Sep. 13, 2005, which corresponds to a
focus-positioned date in the present case, to be larger than
display fields for other dates. Thereby, the icon representing the
respective content and/or the thumbnail image of the respective
still image content is displayed in the enlarged display field.
[0179] In the example shown in FIG. 5, only a letter-image icon is
displayed in the display field for Friday, September 1st, thereby
indicating the presence of a transmitted or received e-mail
content. In addition, a letter-image icon and a birthday content
icon are displayed in the display field for Sunday, September 3rd.
Thereby, the lifetime calendar indicates that a transmitted or
received e-mail content and schedule content are present on Sunday,
September 3rd, and Sunday, and the date is a birthday of either a
user or the user of the mobile phone (of the embodiment). In
addition, a letter-image icon, schedule content icon, and still
image content thumbnail image are displayed in the display field
for Monday, September 4th. The lifetime calendar thereby indicates
the presence of a transmitted or received e-mail content, schedule
content, and still image content on Monday, September 4th.
[0180] The display field for Wednesday, September 13th, which
corresponds to a focus-positioned date in the present example, is
displayed to be larger than other display fields, and a
letter-image icon, schedule content icon, birthday content icon,
and still image content thumbnail image are displayed in the
enlarged display field. The lifetime calendar thereby indicates
that a transmitted or received e-mail content and a schedule
content is present on Wednesday, September 13th, and the date is a
birthday of either a user or the user of the mobile phone (of the
embodiment).
[0181] Further, for graphically displaying a thumbnail image
content of a still image content in the enlarged display field, the
display portion 5 displays the image enlarged to be larger than
thumbnail images for display on display fields for other dates.
This manner of display enables the user to easily recognize the
still image content corresponding to the focus-positioned date. In
this case, the display portion 5 graphically displays the
respective icon, excepting the thumbnail image, both in the
enlarged display field and display fields for other dates in the
same size.
[0182] Thus, in the event of display of the calendar-view lifetime
calendar, a respective content icon and/or still image content
thumbnail image is displayed in a respective date display field.
Consequently, the user is able to quickly recognize the presence of
the respective content corresponding to the respective date from a
respective icon and/or thumbnail image displayed on the lifetime
calendar.
[0183] Depending on the date, there can be a case in which no
contents are present. In such a case, since neither icons nor
thumbnail images for display are present, the corresponding date
display field is inevitably kept blank. In the example of FIG. 5,
Saturday, September 9th corresponds to such a date on which no
contents are present. In such a case also, the user can quickly
recognize the absence of contents on a date by seeing the display
field for the date.
[0184] In addition, as described above, in the event of display of
the calendar-view lifetime calendar, received and transmitted
e-mail contents are present as e-mail contents. However, a case can
take place in which any one of the received and transmitted e-mail
contents is present. In this case, the letter-image icon is
displayed to display the presence of received and/or transmitted
e-mail contents to the user.
[0185] In an other expression, when the calendar-view lifetime
calendar is displayed, the received and/or transmitted e-mail
contents are displayed thereon, thereby displaying the presence of
the content in the simplified form. As described further below, in
the event of display of the day-view lifetime calendar, the icon
formed of the image with the upward arrow is displayed to thereby
display the presence of a transmitted e-mail content to the user.
Similarly, the icon formed of the image with the down-pointing
arrow is displayed to thereby display the presence of a received
e-mail content to the user.
[0186] More specifically, in the event of display of the
calendar-view lifetime calendar, the respective date display field
is narrow. As such, the letter-image icon is displayed to
collectively indicate the presence of received and/or transmitted
e-mail contents to the user. However, in event of display of the
day-view lifetime calendar in which the respective date display
field is wide, the received and transmitted e-mail contents are
displayed separately from one another.
OPERATION OF MOVING FOCUS
[0187] Operation of moving the focus will be described herebelow.
The focus is movable by the user onto a desired date display field
through operation of the operation portion 6. More specifically, in
the example shown in FIG. 5, the controller portion 12 positions
the focus on September 13th as a default. In this state, when the
cross key 24 of the operation portion 6 is right-operated, the
controller portion 12 performs movement and display control (or,
"focus movement and display control," hereinafter) for the focus to
move and appear over the dates in the order:
13th.fwdarw.14th.fwdarw.15th.fwdarw.16th.fwdarw.17th . . . .
Alternately, in the same state of the focus (i.e., the focus is
positioned on September 13th), when the cross key 24 of the
operation portion 6 is left-operated, the controller portion 12
performs the movement and display control for the focus to move and
appear over the dates in the order:
13th.fwdarw.12th.fwdarw.11th.fwdarw.10th.fwdarw.9th . . . .
Alternately, in the same state of the focus as above, when the
cross key 24 of the operation portion 6 is up-operated (or, an
up-key of the cross key 24 is operated), the controller portion 12
controls the focus to move and appear over the dates in the order:
13th.fwdarw.6th.fwdarw.August 30th . . . . Alternately, in the same
state of the focus as above, when the cross key 24 of the operation
portion 6 is down-operated (or, a down-key of the cross key 24 is
operated), the controller portion 12 performs the movement and
display control for the focus to move and appear over the dates in
the order: 13th.fwdarw.20th.fwdarw.27th.fwdarw.October 4th . . .
.
[0188] Thus, every time the cross key 24 is depressed, the
controller portion 12 intermittently performs moving and appearing
control of the focus, such as described above. Further, when the
cross key 24 is kept depressed (i.e., the cross key 24 is "pressed
and held down"), the controller portion 12 continually performs the
movement and display control for the focus during the time the
cross key 24 is "held down." Then, through the movement and display
control for the focus, the controller portion 12 sequentially
detects from the memory 11 contents corresponding to the dates for
display on the display portion 5, and controls corresponding icons
and/or thumbnail images for display on the display portion 5.
Thereby, the lifetime calendars of the respective months are
displayed on the display portion 5 in a scroll manner in response
to moving operations of the focus.
CHANGING DISPLAY SCREEN ON PER-MONTH BASIS OR PER-YEAR BASIS
[0189] As described above, the focus being displayed on the
calendar-view lifetime calendar is movable on the per-date basis
through the user operation of the cross key 24. However, a case can
take place in which contents for graphical display on the lifetime
calendar are desired to greatly change or shift on a per-month or
per-year basis.
[0190] In such a case, the user performs an operation of depression
of the second soft key 27 shown in FIG. 2A. When having detected an
operation of depression of the second soft key 27 on the
calendar-view lifetime calendar being displayed on the display
portion 5, the display portion 5 displays an index screen of the
calendar-view lifetime calendar shown in FIG. 7.
[0191] As can be known through comparison between FIGS. 5 and 7,
upon detection of the operation of depression of the second soft
key 27, "month indexes" (briefly described above) of the respective
months are displayed in a zone of the screen along the left-end
longitudinal direction of the calendar-view lifetime calendar.
Concurrently, in a zone along the left end of the zone of the month
indexes (or, "month index zone," herebelow), there are displayed a
"year index" indicative of a year to which the zone of the month
indexes currently displayed on the display portion 5.
[0192] Further, the focus is positioned on the display field for a
month on the month indexes to which a focus-positioned date belongs
at the time the operator operation of the second soft key 27. FIG.
7 is a display example in the case where the focus is positioned on
any one of the dates in September 2005 at the time the operator
operation of the second soft key 27. In this case, the focus is
positioned on the display field for September on the month index
zone.
[0193] The focus is movable on the per-month basis on the month
index zone, and the focus is movable on the per-year basis on the
zone of year indexes (or, "year index zone," herebelow). More
specifically, when moving the focus on the per-month basis on the
month index zone, the user performs an up- or down-operation of the
cross key 24 in the state where the focus is positioned on a
display field for any of the months on the month index zone. In the
state of, as shown in FIG. 7, the focus positioned on September,
when having detected the up-operation of the cross key 24, the
controller portion 12 performs the movement and display control for
the focus to appear on the month index zone in the order:
September.fwdarw.August.fwdarw.July.fwdarw.June . . . .
Alternately, in the same state, when having detected the
down-operation of the cross key 24, the controller portion 12
performs the movement and display control for the focus to appear
on the month index zone in the order:
September.fwdarw.October.fwdarw.November.fwdarw.December . . .
.
[0194] In addition, in the course of movement and display control
for the month to be focus-positioned on the month index zone, the
controller portion 12 detects from the memory 11 a content
corresponding to a focus-positioned month. Then, the display
portion 5 displays the icon and/or thumbnail image corresponding to
the content on the calendar-view lifetime calendar corresponding to
the focus-positioned month (month to which the focus has been
moved). Thereby, icons and/or thumbnail images for display on the
calendar-view lifetime calendar are changed and displayed on the
per-month basis.
[0195] In the present example described above, the controller
portion 12 changes contents for graphical display on the
calendar-view lifetime calendar on the per-month basis along with
the focus movement on the month index zone. Alternatively, however,
the arrangement of operation can be such that changing of graphical
display of contents on the calendar-view lifetime calendar is not
carried out during the moving operation of the focus on the
per-month basis, but is carried out at a timing awaiting an
operation of depression of the enter key 25. That is, the contents
corresponding to the focus-positioned month are graphically
displayed on the calendar-view lifetime calendar in response to the
operation of depression of the enter key 25.
[0196] More specifically, according to the alternative manner
described above, the user performs an operation of moving the focus
to a desired month on the month index zone (during which the
changing of graphical display of contents is not performed), and
carries out the operation of depression of the enter key 25 upon
movement of the focus to the desired month. Thereby, the controller
portion 12 recognizes that the display of the contents
corresponding to the currently focus-positioned month is specified
by the user. Then, the controller portion 12 detects contents
corresponding to the focus-positioned month from the memory 11,
returns the display screen from the index screen in the calendar
view shown in FIG. 7 to the normal screen shown in FIG. 5, and
displays icons and/or thumbnail images corresponding to the
contents on the calendar-view lifetime calendar. In this case, the
controller portion 12 graphically displays the contents on the
calendar-view lifetime calendar at the timing awaiting the
operation of depression of the enter key 25. As such, the burden on
the controller portion 12 can be reduced by the amount
corresponding to changing of graphical display of contents which
changing does not have to be performed in units of the moving
operation for the focus.
[0197] Further, during the time the focus is positioned on any one
of the months on the month index zone, the display control can be
performed to change the display mode to the mode, in which, for
example, the respective display field for the date (display field
for corresponding icons and/or thumbnail images) is displayed in
the half tone. This enables the user to easily recognize the active
state of the month index.
[0198] The following describes another example case in which moving
operation for the focus is performed on the per-year basis. In the
state of the focus positioned on any one of the month display
fields on the month index zone, the user performs a left-operation
of the cross key 24. Upon detection of the left-operation in the
above-described state (where the focus is positioned on any one of
the month display fields on the month index zone), the controller
portion 12 controls the focus to be positioned on a display field
for a year on the year index zone to which the focus-positioned
month belongs. Thereby, display-screen changing can be implemented
on the per-year basis.
[0199] More specifically, in the state of, as shown in FIG. 7, the
focus positioned on the year index, when having detected the
up-operation of the cross key 24, the controller portion 12
performs the movement and display control for the focus on the year
index zone in the order: 2005.fwdarw.2004.fwdarw.2003 . . . .
Alternately, in the same state, when having detected the
down-operation of the cross key 24, the controller portion 12
performs the movement and display control for the focus on the year
index zone in the order: 2005.fwdarw.2006.fwdarw.2007 . . . .
[0200] In event that the focus movement and display control being
thus performed on the per-year basis, the controller portion 12
detects from the memory 11 respective types of contents in the
focus-moved year which contents corresponds to the focus-positioned
month on the month index zone immediately before movement of the
focus from the month index to the year index. Then, the lifetime
calendar displays icons and/or thumbnail images corresponding to
the contents.
[0201] More specifically, in the state of the focus positioned on,
for example, September on the month index zone, when the focus is
moved to the display field for the year 2005 on the year index
zone, various contents corresponding to September 2005 are detected
from the memory 11. Then, icons and/or thumbnail images
corresponding to the detected contents are displayed on the
calendar-view lifetime calendar.
[0202] Similarly, under the display control of the controller
portion 12, in the state of the focus positioned on, for example,
July on the month index zone, when the focus is moved to the
display field for the year 2004 on the year index zone, various
contents corresponding to July 2004 are detected from the memory
11. Then, icons and/or thumbnail images corresponding to the
detected contents are displayed on the calendar-view lifetime
calendar. When the focus, which was moved to the display field for
the year 2004, has then been moved to the display field for the
year 2003 on the year index zone, various contents corresponding to
July 2003 are detected from the memory 11. Then, icons and/or
thumbnail images corresponding to the detected contents are
displayed on the calendar-view lifetime calendar. Thereby, icons
and/or thumbnail images for display on the calendar-view lifetime
calendar are changed and displayed on the per-year basis.
[0203] In the present example described above, the controller
portion 12 changes contents for graphical display on the
calendar-view lifetime calendar on the per-year basis along with
the focus movement on the year index zone. Alternatively, however,
the manner of operation can be such that changing of graphical
display of contents on the calendar-view lifetime calendar is not
carried out during the moving operation of the focus, but is
carried out as described herebelow.
[0204] Under the display control of the controller portion 12, the
focus is positioned on the month index zone with the timing of
detection of the operation of depression of the enter key 25 in the
state of the focus positioned on any one of years on the year index
zone. Then, contents corresponding to the year and month
focus-positioned in the event that the respective operations of
depression of the enter key 25 have been detected are graphically
displayed on the calendar-view lifetime calendar with the timing of
detection of the operation of depression of the enter key 25 in the
state of the focus positioned on any one of years on the year index
zone.
[0205] In an other expression, according to the alternative manner
described above, the user moves the focus to a desired year on the
year index zone (during which the changing of graphical display of
contents is not performed), and depresses the enter key 25. Then,
the user moves the focus to a desired month on the month index zone
(during which the changing of graphical display of contents is not
performed), and depresses the enter key 25.
[0206] Thereby, the controller portion 12 recognizes that the
graphical display of the contents corresponding to the currently
focus-positioned year and month is specified by the user. Then,
contents corresponding to the focus-positioned year and month are
detected from the memory 11, the display screen returns from the
index screen in the calendar view shown in FIG. 7 to the normal
screen shown in FIG. 5. Then, icons and/or thumbnail images
corresponding to the contents are displayed on the calendar-view
lifetime calendar. In this case, the contents are graphically
displayed on the calendar-view lifetime calendar at the timing
awaiting the operation of depression of the enter key 25. As such,
the burden on the controller portion 12 can be reduced by the
amount corresponding to the changing of graphical display of
contents which changing does not have to be performed in units of
the moving operation for the focus.
[0207] Further, during the time the focus is positioned on the year
and month index zones, the display control can be performed to
change the display mode to the mode, in which, for example, the
respective date display field (display field for corresponding
icons and/or thumbnail images) is displayed in the half tone. Such
a display manner enables the user to easily recognize the active
state of the month index.
SETTING LIFETIME CALENDAR ON STANDBY SCREEN
[0208] Setting of the lifetime calendar on a standby screen (or,
so-called "wallpaper screen" or "hung-up screen," for example) will
be described herebelow.
[0209] In the mobile phone of the present embodiment, the
calendar-view lifetime calendar is settable on a standby screen.
More specifically, upon a setting operation carried out by the user
through the operation portion 6 for setting the lifetime calendar
on a standby screen, the display portion 5 displays the standby
screen. To display the standby screen on the display portion 5, the
controller portion 12 operates as described herebelow. As described
with reference to FIG. 6, of the contents corresponding to the
present date extracted from the timer 10, contents corresponding to
the display settings and the filter settings are detected from the
memory 11. Then, the detected icons representing the respective
contents and/or thumbnail images of the still images detected from
the memory 11 are displayed on the calendar-view lifetime calendar
corresponding to the present year and month, and the focus is
positioned on the display field for the current or operation
date.
[0210] FIG. 8 shows a display example of a Calendar-view lifetime
calendar displayed on a standby screen. More specifically, FIG. 8
shows an example in which the present date extracted from the timer
10 is Sep. 13, 2004, and a calendar-view lifetime calendar for
September 2004 is displayed on the display portion 5 on a standby
screen correspondingly to the extracted present date. As seen from
FIG. 8, the focus is positioned on the display field for the 13th
corresponding to the current or operation date in the present
example.
[0211] Depending on the case, a desired standby image is
preliminarily set by the user. In this case, under the display
control of the controller portion 12, the standby image is
displayed in a half tone, and the calendar-view lifetime calendar
is overlaid and displayed on the standby image. As an overall
standby screen for display on the display portion 5, the standby
screen is displayed to be visible through the calendar-view
lifetime calendar.
UPDATING OF THUMBNAIL IMAGES IN ACCORDANCE WITH RATING FUNCTION
[0212] Updating of thumbnail images will be described
herebelow.
[0213] Respective thumbnail images displayed on the calendar-view
lifetime calendar (inclusive of a calendar-view lifetime calendar
set on a standby screen such as described above) are updated to new
thumbnail images at a predetermine time interval.
[0214] More specifically, when, as described above, a plurality of
still image contents for graphical display in a display field for a
same date are present, one of the plurality of still images by
using a random number, and a thumbnail image of the selected still
image is displayed in the display field for the date. In this case,
the displayed thumbnail of the still image content is updated to a
thumbnail image of an other still image at a predetermined time
interval in accordance with the "rating function."
UPDATE OPERATION FOR UPDATING THUMBNAIL IMAGE FOR DISPLAY ON
RESPECTIVE DATE DISPLAY FIELD
[0215] At the outset, in response to a user operation for
activating the lifetime calendar application program, the
controller portion 12 executes a periodical update operation (or,
"periodical updating," hereinbelow). Thereby, the controller
portion 12 periodically updates a thumbnail image(s) displayed on a
calendar-view lifetime calendar (refer to FIG. 5) and a thumbnail
image(s) displayed on a lifetime calendar set on a standby screen
(refer to FIG. 8). FIG. 9 is a flow diagram showing a flow of the
periodical update operation for a thumbnail image.
[0216] Under the control of the controller portion 12, the process
shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 9 is all time run in accordance
with the lifetime calendar application program, regardless of the
presence or absence of the on-operation of the main power of the
mobile phone.
[0217] As one example, in the mobile phone of the present
embodiment, totally two times of the thumbnail image updating are
executed on a daily basis--one at 12 o'clock midnight and the other
at 12 o'clock noon. The present time counted by the timer 10 is all
time monitored by the controller portion 12. As such, at step S11
the controller portion 12 detects (or determines) whether the
present time has reached the predetermined update time. Thus, the
process proceeds to step S12 with the timing of detection that the
present time has reached 12 o'clock midnight or 12 o'clock noon
(update time for the thumbnail image).
[0218] At step S12, the controller portion 12 determines whether
the lifetime calendar currently is in activation. If the lifetime
calendar is in activation, then the process proceeds to step S16;
otherwise proceeds to step S13.
[0219] At step S16, since the lifetime calendar currently is in a
during-activation state, the process proceeds to step S13 at the
timing awaiting termination of display of the lifetime calendar.
More specifically, in the present example, thumbnail image updating
is not executed during activation of the lifetime calendar.
However, the process can, of course, be set to execute the
thumbnail image updating even during activation of the lifetime
calendar.
[0220] Thus, the process proceeds to step S13 either after the
lifetime calendar has been determined to be not in the
during-activation state at step S12 or after termination of display
of the lifetime calendar is detected at step S16. At step S13, the
controller portion 12 determines whether the lifetime calendar is
set on the standby screen (refer to FIG. 8). If the lifetime
calendar is set on the standby screen, then the process proceeds to
step S17; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S14.
[0221] Thus, if the lifetime calendar is set on the standby screen,
then the process proceeds to step S17. At step S17, all dates on
each of which a plurality of still images are present are detected
from among dates on which thumbnail images are currently displayed
on the lifetime calendar on the standby screen. Then, one still
image is randomly selected using a random number on the basis of
each detected date from among still images other than the still
images currently graphically displayed. Then, thumbnail images of
the still image contents are formed and displayed on the respective
display fields for the corresponding dates.
[0222] Thereby, the respective thumbnail images displayed on the
calendar-view lifetime calendar set on the standby screen are
updated at the timing of either 12 o'clock midnight or 12 o'clock
noon.
[0223] Subsequently, at step S14, to which the process has
proceeded as a result of the detection of an instance of
non-setting of the lifetime calendar on the standby screen, the
controller portion 12 enters a standby state at the timing awaiting
an operation of activation of the lifetime calendar.
[0224] At step S14, to which the process has proceeded as a result
of the detection of an operation of activation of the lifetime
calendar, the process proceeds to step S15. At step S15, as
described with reference to FIG. 6, the calendar-view lifetime
calendar is displayed on the display portion 5. Then, one still
image is randomly selected using a random number on the basis of
each date on which the plurality of still images are present from
among the still images other than the still images graphically
displayed before the operation of activation. Then, thumbnail
images of the respective selected still image contents are formed
and displayed on the display fields for the corresponding
dates.
[0225] Thereby, when the lifetime calendar is activated across 12
o'clock midnight or 12 o'clock noon, thumbnail images different
before and after the activation are displayed on the calendar-view
lifetime calendar.
THUMBNAIL-IMAGE UPDATE OPERATION IN FOCUS-STATIONED STATE
[0226] A thumbnail-image update operation in a focus-stationed
state will be described herebelow. A case is assumed in which the
focus is stationed on the display field for any date on the
calendar-view lifetime calendar, and a plurality of still images
corresponding to the focus-stationed date are present. In this
case, thumbnail images for display on the focus-stationed display
field for the date are updated at a predetermined time interval.
FIG. 10 is a flow diagram showing the flow of the thumbnail-image
update operation. The process shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 10
starts at the timing of display of the calendar-view lifetime
calendar on the display portion 5 in accordance with the lifetime
calendar application program stored in the memory 11.
[0227] At step S21, the controller portion 12 monitors the
operation state of the operation portion 6, thereby to determine
whether an operation of moving the focus is carried out. More
specifically, the focus is positioned on the display field for a
current or operation date (corresponding to the display field for
September 13th in the example of FIG. 5) as a default. As described
above, the focus is movable along the up-down and left-right
directions through the operation of the cross key 24 shown in FIG.
2A. As such, at step S21, the controller portion 12 detects
(determines) whether an operation of moving the focus is carried
out while monitoring the operation state of the cross key 24. If no
operation of moving the focus is detected, then the process
proceeds to step S22; otherwise (if detected), the process proceeds
to step S25.
[0228] At step S25, in response to the operation of moving the
cross key 24, the controller portion 12 performs movement and
display control for the focus being displayed on the display
portion 5. Thereby, as described above, a date display field
corresponding to a focus movement destination is displayed to be
larger than other date display fields, and icons and/or thumbnail
images representing corresponding contents are displayed on the
enlarged date display field. Then, the process returns to step
S21.
[0229] Thus, in the instance of non-detection of the operation of
moving the focus, the process proceeds to step S22. At step S22,
the controller portion 12 determines in accordance with the
information of time acquired by the timer 10 whether, for example,
three seconds has elapsed after the instance of non-detection of
the operation of moving the focus. More specifically, a continuous
stationary time of the focus is monitored by the controller portion
12. In this state, at step S22, if three seconds has not elapsed
after the focus entered the stationary state of the focus, then the
process returns to step S21 and proceeds to step S23 at the timing
of the elapse of three seconds after the focus entered the
stationary state.
[0230] At step S23, the controller portion 12 detects from the
memory 11 still images corresponding to the focus-stationed date,
thereby determining whether a plurality of still images
corresponding to the focus-stationed date are present. If a
plurality of still images are not present, then the process returns
to step S21; or otherwise, the process proceeds to step S24.
[0231] At step S24, of the plurality of still images corresponding
to the focus-stationed date, still images other than currently
graphically displayed are selected by the controller portion 12 by
using a random number. Then, thumbnail images of the selected still
images are formed. Then, the thumbnail images being graphically
displayed in the focus-stationed date are updated to the formed new
thumbnail images, and are graphically displayed. Then, the process
returns to step S21.
[0232] Thereby, when the focus is continuously stationed on the
date on which the plurality of still images are present, thumbnail
images of the still images are updated every three seconds.
Consequently, just by moving the focus to be stationed on a desired
date display field, the user is able to verify still images
corresponding to the date through thumbnail images updated and
displayed every three seconds.
[0233] Thus, in the present example, when the focus is continuously
stationed on the same date display field for the time period of
"three seconds," thumbnail images are updated. However, the time
period is one example, and can be altered corresponding to the
design or like. For example, an alternative can be such that when
the focus is continuously stationed on the same date display field
for the time period of "five" seconds, thumbnail images are
updated; or when the focus is continuously stationed on the same
date display field for the time period of "10" seconds, thumbnail
images are updated. An other alternative can be such that a desired
time is selectable on a setting menu.
DAY VIEW
[0234] The day-view lifetime calendar will be described in further
detail hereinbelow. According to the calendar-view lifetime
calendar described above, the user is able to recognize the
presence of various contents corresponding to respective dates
through corresponding icons and/or thumbnail images displayed on
the respective date display fields. When further desiring to verify
the "contents" of the respective content corresponding to the
respective date, the user operates to display a below-described
day-view lifetime calendar on the display portion 5. Captions
(subject names) of, for example, contents corresponding to
respective dates are graphically displayed on the day-view lifetime
calendar, such that the user is able to verify an outline
"contents" of a desired content.
[0235] When desiring to verify a detailed "contents" of a desired
content, the user selects the desired content on the day-view
lifetime calendar. Then, a dedicated application program
corresponding to the content selected by the user is activated, and
the process, such as display or regeneration, corresponding to the
content selected by the user is executed. Thereby, the user is
enabled to verify the "contents" of the desired content.
[0236] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram showing the flow of a process in
the range of from the step of displaying the day-view lifetime
calendar to the step of processing a content selected on the
calendar-view lifetime calendar in accordance with a dedicated
application program corresponding to the content. According to the
flow diagram, an operation of depression of the enter key 25 is
detected by the controller portion 12, thereby to start the flow in
accordance with the application program stored in the memory
11.
[0237] To begin with, at step S31, upon detection of an operation
of depression of the enter key 25, on the display portion 5
displays a day-view lifetime calendar based on a date
focus-positioned on the calendar-view lifetime calendar. In the
case of a respective date on which a plurality of contents are
present, the controller portion 12 performs display control such
that the plurality of contents are arranged from upper to lower
rows of the display field for the respective date along the
longitudinal direction of the display portion 5. Then, the focus is
positioned on a content positioned on the highest row (i.e.,
content having the highest priority) among contents corresponding
to the focus-positioned date. FIG. 12 shows a display example of
the day-view lifetime calendar.
[0238] Two types of display screens are provided to display the
day-view lifetime calendars. One type is a "list display screen" as
is shown in FIG. 12, and the other type is "thumbnail display
screen" as is shown in FIG. 13. When performing display screen
changing from the calendar view to day view of the lifetime
calendar, the "list display screen," as shown in FIG. 12, is
displayed as a default (screen).
[0239] Shown in FIG. 12 is the day-view lifetime calendar based on
Sep. 13, 2005 or the date focus-positioned on the calendar-view
lifetime calendar. As shown in FIG. 12, the day-view lifetime
calendar displays items such as a current or operation date, such
as "Sep. 13, 2005," and icons of birthday and schedule contents
which icons are indicative of the types of contents permitted to be
graphically displayed through the display and filter settings.
[0240] In addition, a zone of date indexes (or, "date index zone,"
hereinbelow), each of which indexes has a length corresponding to
the number of contents along the longitudinal direction is
displayed along the left-end longitudinal direction of the display
area. In the example of FIG. 12, since only one content
corresponding to September 12th is present, a date index
corresponding to September 12th has a length for graphically
displaying one content. In comparison, since three contents
corresponding to September 13th are present, a date index
corresponding to September 13th has a length for graphically
displaying three contents.
[0241] Further, the controller portion 12 performs display control
such that dates on the date index zone are continuously adjacently
arranged and displayed by suppressing a date display field(s) with
no content being present. In the example of FIG. 12, no content is
present between the display fields for August 28th and September
12th. In this case, the contents of August 28th and September 12th
are graphically displayed to be adjacent one another. This makes it
possible to prevent inconvenience of displaying blank display
fields on the day-view lifetime calendar when many date display
fields without content are present.
[0242] Further, as in the case of September 13th shown in FIG. 12,
in the case of a date on which a plurality of contents are present,
the controller portion 12 performs display control such that the
respective contents are graphically list-displayed in accordance
with the order of priority. By way of one example, the order of
priority for graphically displaying such contents is as described
herebelow.
[0243] In the case where items of time information in a plurality
of contents corresponding to a same date are different from one
another (i.e., in the case where the times of the respective
contents of the same date are different from one another), the
controller portion 12 performs display control to graphically
list-display the contents in the following priority order:
[0244] 1. Birthday content;
[0245] 2. All-day set schedule content set on a last date; and
[0246] 3. In a relatively early order among the capture time
(storage time) of a still image content, start time of a schedule,
reception time of a received e-mail content, and transmission time
of a transmitted e-mail content.
[0247] In the case where items of information of time in a
plurality of contents corresponding to a same date are identical to
one another (i.e., in the case where the times of the respective
contents of the same date are identical to one another), the
controller portion 12 performs display control to graphically
list-display the contents in the following priority order:
[0248] 1. Still image content;
[0249] 2. Received e-mail content;
[0250] 3. Transmitted e-mail content; and
[0251] 4. Schedule content.
[0252] More specifically, the controller portion 12 performs the
display control as described hereinbelow. In the case where items
of information of time in a plurality of same contents are
identical to one another, the respective contents are graphically
displayed in an arrangement order employed in an application
program dedicated for regeneration of the contents. In the case
where a plurality of all-day set schedule contents are present, the
respective schedule contents are graphically list-displayed by
being arranged in a registration order (new.fwdarw.old) of the
respective schedules stored in the scheduler. Similarly, also in
the case where a plurality of schedule contents with a same start
time are present, the respective schedule contents are graphically
list-displayed by being arranged in a registration order
(new.fwdarw.old) of the respective schedules stored in the
scheduler. Further, in the case where a plurality of birthday
contents with a same date are present, the birthday contents are
graphically list-displayed by being arranged in the order of memory
numbers in the telephone directory (i.e., the contents are
graphically list-displayed by being arranged in a registration
order in the telephone directory). However, in the case where a
date in a birthday contents of a user registered in the telephone
directory is identical to a date in a birthday content stored in
the registration field of the private information (i.e., birthday
content corresponding to the own birthday (birthday of the user of
the mobile phone)), the birthday content stored in the registration
fields of the private information is preferentially graphically
displayed (with high priority).
[0253] Further, for graphically displaying respective contents, the
controller portion 12 performs display control so that metadata are
graphically displayed on the lifetime calendar, thereby to visually
indicate the "contents" of respective contents, as described in
detail herebelow.
[0254] For graphically displaying a "birthday content," the display
portion 5 displays a user name, birthday icon (icon formed of an
image of a cake with candles (standing thereon) in the present
example), a thumbnail image of the user registered in the telephone
directory.
[0255] For graphically displaying a "still image content," the
display portion 5 graphically displays capture time/storage time
(data), thumbnail image, managing title, file type icon, and
acquisition source icon.
[0256] For graphically displaying a "received e-mail content," the
display portion 5 displays a received mail icon, reception time,
"From" icon, transmission source name/address, attached data icon,
transmission source image stored in the telephone directory,
subject-name icon, and subject-name data.
[0257] For graphically displaying a "transmitted e-mail content,"
the display portion 5 displays a received mail icon, transmission
time, "To" icon, addressee name/plural-persons icon, attached data
icon, addressee image stored in the telephone directory,
subject-name icon, and subject-name data.
[0258] For graphically displaying a "schedule content," the display
portion 5 displays a schedule icon, start time of the schedule,
classification icon, data indicative of a schedule summary/content,
alarm icon, and data indicative of alarm ON/OFF setting.
[0259] The case where contents are graphically displayed in the
date display field for September 13th in FIG. 12 is an example in
which a birthday content, schedule content, and still image content
in the above-described order of priority are sequentially
graphically displayed in the above-described order of priority. As
seen from the example, for graphically displaying the birthday
content, the display portion 5 displays a frame image which is a
display frame showing the birthday icon of an image of cake with
candles and flowers in a central position of the frame image. In
addition, the user name "Funabashi" is displayed in a central
position of the frame image. This enables the user, who has
observed the day-view lifetime calendar, to recognize that
September 13th is the birthday of "Funabashi."
[0260] Further, for graphically displaying a schedule content, the
display portion 5 displays various items, such as a start time such
as "18:46;" schedule icon of an image of a pencil placed on a
calendar; classification icon of, for example, a cocktail glass
indicative of classification of the schedule; data indicative of a
summary/content of a schedule such as "Meal meeting in Ginza with
Yamashita; an alarm icon of an image of a bell; and data indicative
of ON/OFF setting of the alarm. This enables the user, who has
observed the day-view lifetime calendar, to recognize that there is
a meal meeting scheduled for 18:46 13th September in Ginza with
Yamashita.
[0261] For graphically displaying characters, characters exceeding
a predetermined number of characters to be displayed are suppressed
or concatenated. For this reason, the display "Meal meeting in
Ginza with Yamashita," which is the summary/content of the
schedule, is incompletely displayed. However, the arrangement can
be such that the character size is reduced to be all-displayed, or
the characters are scroll-displayed in response to operation of the
cross key 24.
[0262] Further, for graphically displaying a still image content,
the various items are displayed. The items are, for example, a
capture time/storage time such as "13:00;" still image indicative
that the content is still image content; managing title such as
"Walk with dog;" file type icon indicative of the file type and
size; and acquisition source icon indicative that the still image
content was captured or acquired by the camera unit 8. This enables
the user, who has observed the day-view lifetime calendar, to
recognize that there is the still image captured during the walk
with dog.
[0263] When a plurality of users, such as Funabashi and Yamada,
whose birthdays are stored as September 13th in, for example, the
telephone directory and registration fields of the private
information are present, the lifetime calendar list-displays icons
of the respective birthday contents of Funabashi and Yamada in the
date display field for September 13th. Similarly, when a plurality
of still image contents captured or acquired on September 13th are
present, the lifetime calendar list-displays thumbnail images of
the respective still image contents sequentially in order of the
capture time, for example.
[0264] By performing display screen changing from the calendar view
lifetime calendar to the day-view lifetime calendar, the "contents"
of a respective content, is graphically displayed, such that the
user is able to verify the "contents" of a desired content.
[0265] Referring to the flow diagram of FIG. 11, if at step S31 the
list display screen of the day-view lifetime calendar is displayed,
then the process proceeds to step S32. At step S32, while
monitoring the operation state of the operation portion 6, the
controller portion 12 determines the presence or absence of a
display-screen changing operation.
[0266] More specifically, as described above, as display screens
for the day-view lifetime calendar, the "list display screen" shown
in FIG. 12 and the "thumbnail display screen" shown in FIG. 13 are
provided. As one example, changing between the respective display
screens is carried out by the user through operation of depression
of the first soft key 26 (shown in FIG. 2A). As such, at step S32,
the controller portion 12 determines whether the first soft key 26
is depressed, thereby to determine whether the operation of
changing between the display screens is carried out. If the
depression operation for the first soft key 26 is detected, then
the process proceeds to step S37. Otherwise, if the depression
operation for the first soft key 26 has not been detected, then the
process proceeds to step S33.
[0267] At step S37, to which the process has proceeded as a result
of the detection of the operation of depression of the first soft
key 26, the controller portion 12 performs changing and displaying
control to change the day-view lifetime calendar displayed on the
display portion 5 from the "list display screen" shown in FIG. 12
to the "thumbnail display screen" shown in FIG. 13.
[0268] When the day-view lifetime calendar is changed to the
"thumbnail display screen," the presence of, mainly, for example,
respective contents are graphically displayed through thumbnail
images or icons. FIG. 13 is a view showing a display example of the
"thumbnail display screen" of the day-view lifetime calendar. With
reference to FIG. 13, when a received e-mail content received at
08:31 on September 12th is present, the controller portion 12
detects a user corresponding to a transmission source of the
received e-mail piece from the telephone directory. Then, the
day-view lifetime calendar displays a thumbnail image of the
detected user, which is stored in the telephone directory, in the
display field for September 12th. This enables the user who has
observed the "thumbnail display screen" of the day-view lifetime
calendar to recognize the presence of the received e-mail content
received at 08:31 on September 12th.
[0269] Similarly, when a birthday content of a user whose birthday
is September 13th is present, the controller portion 12 detects a
thumbnail image of a user whose birthday is September 13th from the
telephone directory. Then, the thumbnail image in the display field
for September 12th is displayed. Further, a birthday icon is
displayed on the thumbnail image. This enables the user who has
observed the "thumbnail display screen" of the day-view lifetime
calendar to recognize that September 13th is the birthday of the
user shown in the thumbnail image.
[0270] Similarly, when a schedule content with a start time of
18:46 on September 13th is present, the classification icon for the
schedule content is displayed in the display field for September
13th. Further, a schedule icon indicative of the start time of the
schedule and indicative that the content is the schedule content is
displayed on the classification icon. This enables the user who has
observed the "thumbnail display screen" of the day-view lifetime
calendar to recognize the presence of the schedule that has the
contents shown by the classification icon and that is started from
18:46 on September 13th.
[0271] Similarly, when a still image captured or acquired at 13:00
on September 13th is present, the thumbnail image is displayed in
the display field for September 13th. Further, a still image icon
indicative of the start time of the schedule and indicative that
the content is the still image content is displayed on the
thumbnail image. This enables the user who has observed the
"thumbnail display screen" of the day-view lifetime calendar to
recognize the presence of the still image content captured or
acquired at 13:00 on September 13th.
[0272] When a thumbnail image of a user corresponding to a birthday
content is not stored in the telephone directory, a user name
stored in the telephone directory is displayed instead of the
thumbnail image.
[0273] When a thumbnail image of a corresponding to a
transmitted/received e-mail content is not stored in, for example,
the telephone directory or the registration field of private
information, a user name stored in the telephone directory or the
registration field of private information is displayed instead of
the thumbnail image.
[0274] When a classification icon indicative of the classification
of the transmitted/received e-mail content is not stored in the
scheduler, only the start time of the schedule and schedule icon
are displayed.
[0275] On the "list display screen" shown in FIG. 12, respective
contents are graphically displayed through, for example, such that
thumbnail images, icons, and characters, the outline "contents" of
the respective contents are recognizable. However, on the
"thumbnail display screen" shown in FIG. 13, while it is difficult
to graphically display so many contents at one time, the respective
contents are, basically, graphically displayed through thumbnail
images and icons, such that many contents can be graphically
displayed at one time.
[0276] At step S32 of the flow diagram shown in FIG. 11, if the
process has proceeded to step S33 as a result of non-detection of
the operation of changing between the "list display screen" and the
"thumbnail display screen," then the controller portion 12
determines whether an operation of moving the focus on a date index
is carried out.
[0277] More specifically, when an operation of depression of the
second soft key 27 is detected in the state of the focus positioned
on any content on the "list display screen" of the day-view
lifetime calendar shown in FIG. 12, the process proceeds to step
S39. At step S39, the focus is moved on a date on the date index
corresponding to the currently focus-positioned content.
[0278] For example, in the state of the focus positioned on a
birthday content of "Funabashi," when an operation of depression of
the second soft key 27 is detected, the focus is positioned on the
date 13th, which is the date on the date index in which the
birthday content of "Funabashi" is graphically displayed. Thus,
when the focus is positioned on a respective date in a respective
date index, the focus is movable in units of each date.
[0279] More specifically, when moving the focus, the user moves the
focus on the date index zone and carries out an up-down operation
of the cross key 24. At step S40, the presence or absence of an
up-down operation of the cross key 24 is detected. If the up-down
operation of the cross key 24 is detected, at step S41 the focus on
the date index zone is controlled to move and appear in units of
the date correspondingly to the up-down operation of the cross key
24.
[0280] For example, in the example shown in FIG. 12, in the state
of the focus positioned on the date 13th on the date index zone,
when an up-operation of the cross key 24 is detected, the focus is
controlled in units of the up-operation to move and appear on
respective date display fields with contents being present in the
order: 13th.fwdarw.12th.fwdarw.August 28th.fwdarw.August 27th . . .
.
[0281] Similarly, in the example shown in FIG. 12, in the state of
the focus positioned on the date 13th on the date index zone, when
a down-operation of the cross key 24 is detected, the focus is
controlled in units of the down-operation to move and appear on
respective date display fields with contents being present in the
order: 13th.fwdarw.14th.fwdarw.15th . . . .
[0282] In this manner, contents graphically displayed on the
day-view lifetime calendar can be changed in units of the date.
[0283] In the mobile phone of the present embodiment, when
returning the focus moved to the date index zone to a display field
for a respective content, the user depresses the enter key 25. The
return operation is monitored by the controller portion 12. At step
S42, if an operation of depression of the enter key 25 is detected,
then the process proceeds to step S43. At step S43, the focus is
controlled to move and appear on the display field for the
respective content from the date index zone.
[0284] At step S33, if an operation of moving the focus to the date
index zone is not detected, then the process proceeds to step S34.
At step S34, the presence or absence of an operation of moving the
focus is determined. That is, since the focus positioned on the
respective content display field is moved through the up-down
operation of the cross key 24, at step S34 the presence or absence
of the up-down operation of the cross key 24 is monitored by the
controller portion 12. If an up-down operation of the cross key 24
is detected, then the process proceeds to step S38. At step S38, in
correspondence to the up-down operation of the cross key 24, the
focus is controlled to move and appear in units of each
content.
[0285] For example, in the example shown in FIG. 12, in the state
of the focus positioned on the birthday content of Funabashi, when
an up-operation of the cross key 24 is detected, the focus is
controlled in units of each content to move and appear on a content
in the order: birthday content of Funabashi.fwdarw.received e-mail
content from Funabashi.fwdarw.transmitted e-mail content to Oyamada
. . . .
[0286] Similarly, in the example shown in FIG. 12, in the state of
the focus positioned on the birthday content of Funabashi, when a
down-operation of the cross key 24 is detected, the focus is
controlled in units of the down-operation to move and appear on a
respective content in the order: schedule content with the title
"Meal meeting in Ginza with Yamashita.fwdarw.still image content
with the title "Walk with dog".fwdarw.birthday content of
Yamashita.
[0287] Thus, the "outline contents" of a respective content is
recognizable on the day-view lifetime calendar. When desiring to
verify a "detailed contents" of a desired content, the user moves
the focus in units of each date or units of each content, thereby
to position the focus on the desired content and to then depress
the enter key 25. At step S35 in the flow diagram of FIG. 11, the
presence or absence of the operation of depression of the enter key
25 is detected. More specifically, at step S35, the controller
portion 12 detect the presence or absence of the operation of
depression of the enter key 25, which signifies the specification
of display or regeneration of the "detailed contents" of a
focus-positioned content. At step S35, if the operation of
depression of the enter key 25 is detected, then the process
proceeds to step S36. At step S36, a dedicated application program
corresponding to a currently focus-positioned content is invoked
from the memory 11 and activated, and the content is processed in
accordance with the application program. Then, the entire process
of the flow diagram shown in FIG. 11 terminates.
[0288] More specifically, in the state of the focus positioned on a
still image content on the day-view lifetime calendar, when an
operation of depression of the enter key 25 is detected, the camera
control program stored in the memory 11 is activated. Then, the
still image content is graphically displayed on the display portion
5 in accordance with a viewer function of the camera control
program. This enables the user to verify the detailed content of
the still image content selected on the day-view lifetime
calendar.
[0289] Similarly, in the state of the focus positioned on a
received or transmitted e-mail content on the day-view lifetime
calendar, when an operation of depression of the enter key 25 is
detected, the e-mail management program stored in the memory 11 is
activated. Then, the "contents" (such as text) of the received or
transmitted e-mail content is displayed on the display portion 5 in
accordance with the e-mail management program. This enables the
user to verify the detailed contents of the received or transmitted
e-mail content selected on the day-view lifetime calendar.
[0290] Similarly, in the state of the focus positioned on a
schedule content on the day-view lifetime calendar, when an
operation of depression of the enter key 25 is detected, the
scheduler management program stored in the memory 11 is activated.
Then, the "contents" of the schedule content is displayed on the
display portion 5 in accordance with the scheduler management
program. This enables the user to verify the detailed contents of
the schedule content selected on the day-view lifetime
calendar.
[0291] Similarly, in the state of the focus positioned on a
birthday content on the day-view lifetime calendar, when an
operation of depression of the enter key 25 is detected, the
registration fields for a user corresponding to the birthday
content stored in the telephone directory or the registration
fields of private information of the user of the mobile phone are
displayed on the display portion 5. Thereby, a telephone number,
e-mail address, and the like of the user corresponding to the
birthday content are displayed, such that communication can easily
be made with the user by phone or e-mail.
[0292] Description above has been made such that, mainly, on the
"list display screen" of the day-view lifetime calendar, in the
state of the focus positioned on the desired content, when the
enter key 25 is depressed, the controller portion 12 activates the
application program corresponding to the content. This is similar
as in the case of the "thumbnail display screen" of the day-view
lifetime calendar. That is, in the state where the "thumbnail
display screen" shown in FIG. 13 is displayed, when an operation of
depression of the enter key 25 is detected, an application program
corresponding to a focus-positioned content on the "thumbnail
display screen" is activated. Thereby, similarly as in the event of
the "list display screen" being displayed, the user is able to
verify the "contents" of the content selected by positioning the
focus also in the event of the "thumbnail display screen" being
displayed.
GRAPHICAL DISPLAY OF NEW-SCHEDULE CREATION CONTENT IN TRANSITION TO
DAY VIEW
[0293] As September 9th shown in FIG. 5, the display field with no
content is displayed as blank on the calendar-view lifetime
calendar. In the event that the focus is moved onto such a date
with no content on the calendar-view lifetime calendar and the
enter key 25 is depressed, when the day-view lifetime calendar is
displayed, a "new-schedule creation content" as described herebelow
is displayed.
[0294] FIG. 14 is a flow diagram showing the operation of
graphically displaying the new-schedule creation content. In the
flow diagram, the controller portion 12 detects an operation of
depression of the enter key 25 in the state of the focus positioned
on any date display field on the calendar-view lifetime calendar.
Then, the process is started in accordance with the lifetime
calendar application program.
[0295] At step S51, the controller portion 12 determines the
presence or absence of a content corresponding to a selected date
(focus-positioned date) on the calendar-view lifetime calendar. If
a content corresponding to the focus-positioned date on the
calendar-view lifetime calendar is present, then the process
proceeds to step S31 of the flow diagram of FIG. 11. At step S31,
the list display screen of the day-view lifetime calendar as shown
in FIG. 12 is displayed on the display portion 5.
[0296] Alternately, if a content corresponding to the
focus-positioned date on the calendar-view lifetime calendar is
absent, then the process proceeds to step S52. At step S52, a list
display screen of the day-view lifetime calendar as shown in FIG.
15 is displayed on the display portion 5. A new display field is
provided for the focus-positioned date on the calendar-view
lifetime calendar, and the characters "New schedule creation" and
an icon are displayed in the new display field.
[0297] More specifically, as described above, in the event of
display of the day-view lifetime calendar, a date display field(s)
with no content suppressed for display. In the event that a date
with no content is selected on the calendar-view lifetime calendar,
however, when the day-view lifetime calendar is displayed, the new
display field for the date with no content is provided on the
day-view lifetime calendar, and the characters "New schedule
creation" and the icon are displayed with the focus in the display
field.
[0298] In the example shown in FIG. 15, Sep. 9, 2005 with no
content is selected on the calendar-view lifetime calendar. In this
case, a new display field for Sep. 9, 2005 is provided on the
day-view lifetime calendar, and characters "New schedule creation"
and the icon are displayed with the focus in the display field.
[0299] Subsequently, at step S53, the controller portion 12
determines whether an operation of depression of the enter key 25
is carried out in the state of the focus positioned on the display
field showing the characters "New schedule creation" and the icon.
By an operation of depression of the enter key 25 by the user in
the above-described state, it is meant that the user desires to
store a new schedule(s) for the date with no content. As such, the
process proceeds to step S36 of the flow diagram shown in FIG. 11.
At step S36, the scheduler management program is activated to
thereby display a new schedule creation screen. In this manner, the
user is able to store the new schedule into the scheduler. In
addition, a schedule content of the new stored schedule is
graphically displayed on the calendar-view or the day-view lifetime
calendar when displayed.
[0300] Even after the day-view lifetime calendar is changed from
the "list display screen" to the "thumbnail display screen,"
display of "new schedule creation" is done. More specifically, when
an operation of changing the screen to the "thumbnail display
screen" is carried out at step S32 of the flow diagram of FIG. 11
after the characters "New schedule creation" and the icon have been
displayed on the "list display screen" of the day-view lifetime
calendar, at step S37 a "thumbnail display screen," as shown in
FIG. 16, only the icon corresponding to the characters "new
schedule creation" is displayed in the display field for the
corresponding date.
[0301] Thus, while the "list display screen" displays, as shown in
FIG. 15, the characters "New schedule creation" and the icon, the
"thumbnail display screen" displays, as shown in FIG. 16, only the
icon indicative that the content is a new schedule creation
content.
[0302] Similar to the above, in the case of the "thumbnail display
screen" also, the controller portion 12 determines whether an
operation of depression of the enter key 25 is carried out in the
state of the focus positioned on the icon indicative of "new
schedule creation." If the operation is detected, then the process
proceeds to step S36. At step S36, the scheduler management program
is activated to thereby display a new schedule creation screen. In
this manner, the user is able to store a new schedule on a new
schedule creation screen displayed in accordance with the scheduler
management program. In addition, a schedule content of the new
stored schedule is graphically displayed on the calendar-view or
the day-view lifetime calendar when displayed.
REMEMBRANCE POPUP DISPLAY OPERATION
[0303] A remembrance popup display operation will be described
herebelow. When the focus has been positioned on any date on the
calendar-view or day-view lifetime calendar for a predetermined
time period or longer, the controller portion 12 operates to
perform popup display of a content corresponding to a past date
with respect to the focus-positioned date (in accordance with the
remembrance popup function). FIG. 17 is a flow diagram showing the
flow of the remembrance popup display operation.
[0304] The process shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 17 starts at
one of two timings in accordance with the lifetime calendar
application program, which is stored in the memory 11. One is the
timing of detection of a stationary state of the focus positioned
on any date on the calendar-view lifetime calendar described with
reference to FIG. 5. The other is the timing of detection of a
stationary state of the focus positioned on any date on the
day-view lifetime calendar described with reference to FIGS. 12 and
13. That is, the process shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 17 is
started by the controller portion 12 at the timing of detection of
the focus continuously positioned on any date on the calendar-view
or day-view lifetime calendar.
[0305] At step S61, the controller portion 12 reads a preliminarily
set remembrance display from the memory 11, and counts the time
period elapsed since detection of the stationary state of the focus
in accordance with information of time measured by the timer 10.
Then, the controller portion 12 determines whether the counted time
period has exceeded the preliminarily set remembrance display
time.
[0306] More specifically, as described with reference to FIG. 4A,
in the mobile phone of the present embodiment, the respective one
of the "Fast," "Normal," and "Slow" pull-down menu items allows
setting of the time period until the execution of the remembrance
popup display. For example, when the "First" menu item is selected,
the remembrance popup display is performed after "5 seconds" has
elapsed since the detection of the stationary state of the focus.
Alternately, when the "Normal" menu item is selected, the
remembrance popup display is performed after, for example, "7.5
seconds" has elapsed since the detection of the stationary state of
the focus. Still alternately, when the "Slow" menu item is
selected, the remembrance popup display is performed after, for
example, "10 seconds" has elapsed the detection of the stationary
state of the focus.
[0307] Accordingly, at step S61, the controller portion 12 performs
the determination in the above example case. When the "First" menu
item is selected, it is determined whether "5 seconds" has elapsed
since the detection of the stationary state of the focus.
Alternately, when the "Normal" menu item is selected, it is
determined whether "7.5 seconds" has elapsed since the detection of
the stationary state of the focus. Still alternately, when the
"Slow" menu item is selected, it is determined whether "10 seconds"
has elapsed the detection of the stationary state of the focus.
Then, the process proceeds to step S62 at the timing of the
detection that the elapsed time period after the detection of the
stationary state of the focus has exceeded the preliminarily set
remembrance display time.
[0308] At step S62, a content having oldest information of time
(content with the oldest date) is detected from among various
contents stored in the memory 11. Then, the process proceeds to
step S63.
[0309] At step S63, the controller portion 12 performs a comparison
between the information of time contained in the content having the
oldest date and detected at step S62 and the present date extracted
from the timer 10. Thereby, the controller portion 12 determines
whether the oldest date in the content detected at step S62 is a
date one-year or more previous to the present time. If the oldest
date detected at step S62 is determined to be a date one-year or
more previous to the present time, then the process proceeds to
step S69. Otherwise, if the oldest date contained in the content
detected at step S62 is a date within one year from the present
time, then the process proceeds to step S64.
[0310] Thus, the process proceeds to step S69 after the oldest date
in the content detected at step S62 has been determined at step S63
to be a date one-month or more previous to the present time. At
step S69, the controller portion 12 attempts to detect from the
memory 11 content of a predetermined type corresponding to either a
date corresponding to a date one-month previous to a currently
focus-positioned date or a date close to the one-month previous
date on the calendar-view or day-view lifetime calendar. However, a
case can take place in which the controller portion 12 has detected
from the memory 11 no content of a predetermined type corresponding
to either a date corresponding to a date one-month previous to a
currently focus-positioned date or a date close to the one-month
previous date. In this case, the controller portion 12 attempts to
detect from the memory 11 a predetermined type corresponding to
either a date corresponding to a date two-year previous to a
currently focus-positioned date or a date close to the two-year
previous date.
[0311] As one example, in the mobile phone of the present
embodiment, contents are graphically displayed through the
remembrance popup function in the following order of priority:
[0312] 1. Still image content captured or acquired by the camera
unit 8;
[0313] 2. Protection-set received or transmitted e-mail
content;
[0314] 3. Schedule content;
[0315] 4. Still image content downloaded via a network; and
[0316] 5. Non-protection-set received or transmitted e-mail
content.
In the event of executing the remembrance popup display, various
contents are detected in accordance with the order of priority.
[0317] The detection operation for detecting a content at step S69
will be described in more detail hereinbelow. The controller
portion 12 first attempts to detect the presence or absence of a
content corresponding to one-month previous date to the currently
focus-positioned date. When having detected no content
corresponding to the one-month previous date, then the controller
portion 12 attempts to detect the presence or absence of a content
corresponding to two-year previous date to the currently
focus-positioned date. Thus, the controller portion 12 attempts to
detect the presence or absence of the content by sequentially going
back on the "per-year basis" to a year to which the date of the
oldest content belongs.
[0318] By way of one example, a case is now assumed in which, as
the content having the oldest date, a content having the date Jul.
10, 2003 is detected, and the currently focus-positioned date on
the calendar-view or day-view lifetime calendar is Sep. 13, 2005.
In this case, the controller portion 12 first attempts to detect
from the memory 11 a content corresponding to Sep. 13, 2004
corresponding to a one-month previous date.
[0319] When having not detected such a content exactly
corresponding to the one-month previous date (i.e., when no such a
content is present), the controller portion 12 attempts to detect
from the memory 11 contents corresponding to respective dates in,
for example, one week before and after Sep. 13, 2004, which
corresponds to one-year previous date, (Sep. 6 to 12, 2004 and Sep.
14 to 20, 2004).
[0320] When having not detected such a content exactly
corresponding to the respective one-month previous date, the
controller portion 12 attempts to detect from the memory 11
contents corresponding to the two-year previous date to the
currently focus-positioned date.
[0321] When having not detected such a content exactly
corresponding to the two-year previous date (i.e., when no such a
content is present), the controller portion 12 attempts to detect
from the memory 11 contents corresponding to respective dates in,
for example, one week before and after Sep. 13, 2003, which
corresponds to the two-year previous date, (Sep. 6 to 12, 2003 and
Sep. 14 to 20, 2003) corresponding to the two-year previous
date.
[0322] Thus, the controller portion 12 attempts to detect the
presence or absence of the content by sequentially going back on
the "per-year basis" to the year to which the date of the oldest
content belongs.
[0323] Then, at step S70, the controller portion 12 determines the
presence or absence of a content detected in the "per-year basis"
detection. If a content of the above-described predetermined type
is detected, then the process proceeds to step S66 at the timing of
the detection. Otherwise, if a content of the above-described
predetermined type is not detected, then the process proceeds to
step S71.
[0324] If at step S63 the controller portion 12 determines the
oldest date to be not a one-month or more previous date, then at
step S64 the controller portion 12 determines whether the oldest
date is a one-month or more previous date. If the oldest date is
determined to be a one-month or more previous date, then the
process proceeds to step S71. Otherwise, if the oldest date is
determined to be a date within one month, then the process proceeds
to step S65.
[0325] If at step S64 the oldest date is determined to be a
one-month or more previous date and if a corresponding content is
not detected even when the "per-year basis" content detection has
been made at steps S69 and S70, the controller portion 12 performs
"per-month basis" content detection at step S71.
[0326] At step S71, the controller portion 12 first attempts to
detect the presence or absence of a content corresponding to
one-month previous date to the currently focus-positioned date.
When having detected no content corresponding to the one-month
previous date, then the controller portion 12 attempts to detect
the presence or absence of a content corresponding to two-month
previous date to the currently focus-positioned date. Thus, the
controller portion 12 attempts to detect the presence or absence of
the content by sequentially going back on the "per-month basis" to
a month to which the date of the oldest content belongs.
[0327] By way of one example, a case is now assumed in which, as
the content having the oldest date, a content having the date Nov.
10, 2004 is detected, and the currently focus-positioned date on
calendar-view or day-view lifetime calendar is Sep. 13, 2005. In
this case, the controller portion 12 first attempts to detect from
the memory 11 contents corresponding to Aug. 13, 2005, which
corresponds to the one-month previous date to the currently
focus-positioned date and respective dates in, for example, one
week before and after Aug. 13, 2005 (Aug. 6 to 12 and 14 to 20,
2004).
[0328] When having not detected such contents exactly corresponding
to the respective one-month previous dates, the controller portion
12 attempts to detect from the memory 11 contents corresponding to
Jul. 13, 2005, which corresponds to the two-month previous date to
the currently focus-positioned date, and respective dates in, for
example, one week before and after Jul. 13, 2005 (Jul. 6 to 12, and
14 to 20, 2005).
[0329] Thus, the controller portion 12 attempts to detect the
presence or absence of the content by sequentially going back on
the "per-month basis" to the month to which the date of the oldest
content belongs. Then, at step S72, the controller portion 12
determines the presence or absence of a content detected in the
"per-month basis" detection. If a content of the above-described
predetermined type is detected, then the process proceeds to step
S66 at the timing of the detection. Otherwise, if a content of the
above-described predetermined type is not detected, then the
process proceeds to step S65.
[0330] If at step S64 the oldest date is a within-one-month date is
determined to be a within-one-month date and in the event that a
corresponding content is not detected even when the "per-month
basis" content detection has been made at steps S71 and S72, then
at step S65 the controller portion 12 randomly determines a date in
accordance with a random number from among dates between the
currently focus-positioned date and the oldest date. Then, the
process proceeds to step S66.
[0331] If at step S66 the respective content is detected in the
"per-year basis" detection, "per-month basis" detection, or random
detection, then at step S66 the respective content is
popup-displayed on the display portion 5, and history information
indicative of the graphically displayed content is stored into a
remembrance list in the memory 11 shown in FIG. 1.
[0332] FIGS. 18 to 20, respectively, are display examples of
contents presented in the remembrance popup display. FIG. 18 is a
display example of contents popup-displayed in the event of
displaying the calendar-view lifetime calendar. In the display
example of FIG. 18, the focus is positioned on October 13th on the
calendar-view lifetime calendar of October 2005 (corresponding to a
current or operation date in the present example), in which
contents of Oct. 13, 2004 corresponding to a one-year previous date
to Oct. 13, 2005 are detected and popup-displayed.
[0333] FIG. 19 is a display example of contents popup-displayed on
a list display screen of the day-view lifetime calendar. In this
example, the focus is positioned on a birthday content on a
birthday content on Sep. 23, 2005, and correspondingly thereto,
contents corresponding to Sep. 22, 2004 are detected and
popup-displayed.
[0334] In this case, normally, contents corresponding to Sep. 23,
2004, which is the one-year previous date to Sep. 23, 2005, are to
be popup-displayed. However, in the example of FIG. 19, since no
content corresponding to Sep. 23, 2004 is present, the contents
corresponding to September 22nd belonging to the period before and
after Sep. 23, 2004 are popup-displayed.
[0335] FIG. 20 is a display example of contents popup-displayed on
a thumbnail display screen of the day-view lifetime calendar. In
the display example shown in FIG. 20, the focus is positioned on a
thumbnail image of a still image content corresponding to Sep. 23,
2005, and correspondingly thereto, contents corresponding to Sep.
23, 2004 are detected and popup-displayed.
[0336] In such remembrance popup-display, the controller portion 12
provides control such that the popup-display is performed in an
area excepting a display area for a focus-positioned content. More
specifically, in the example of FIG. 18, the focus is positioned on
the content corresponding to October 13th graphically displayed in
substantially the center of the display portion 5. As such, the
popup display is not performed in the display area of the currently
focus-positioned content, but is performed in, for example, a
display area near the lower end portion of the display portion 5
(or can be performed in a display area near the upper end portion
of the display portion 5).
[0337] Further, in the event of providing the remembrance popup
display, a plurality of contents, such as three contents, for
example, are graphically list-displayed by being arranged along the
short side direction of the display portion 5. In the example of
FIG. 18, three or more contents are detected in accordance with the
order of content priority, whereby a birthday content, still image
content (thumbnail image) captured or acquired by the camera
portion 8, and protection-set received e-mail content are displayed
in left to right display areas (popup display areas). When two or
less (one) contents are detected, the residual display area is
displayed as a blank.
[0338] Further, when four or more detected contents are present,
contents other than those previously graphically displayed are
graphically displayed in a subsequent operation of remembrance
popup display. More specifically, a case is now assumed in which,
in the example of FIG. 18, six still image contents are detected as
contents corresponding to Oct. 13, 2004. In this case, the
controller portion 12 stores information regarding three still
image contents presented in the remembrance popup display (such as
identification information of the respective still image contents).
Then, in the event of performing a subsequent operation of
remembrance popup display to be performed corresponding to Oct. 13,
2004, the remembrance popup display is performed in accordance with
the stored information to display three still image contents
different from the three still image contents presented in the
previous remembrance popup display. Thereby, even when performing
the operations of the remembrance popup display corresponding to
the same date, a different content(s) can be displayed every time
the remembrance popup display is performed.
[0339] Subsequently, after the remembrance popup display such as
described above, at step S67 of the flow diagram of FIG. 17, the
controller portion 12 monitors the operation state of the operation
portion 6 and thereby determines whether an operation of moving the
currently stationary focus has been performed. The remembrance
popup display is continued until detection of an operation of
moving the focus, and the process proceeds to step S68 at the
timing of detection of an operation of moving the focus.
[0340] At step S68, since an operation of moving the focus is
detected, the current remembrance popup display is closed to
disappear from the display portion 5, and then the entire process
shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 17 is terminated. That is, the
remembrance popup display is performed during the stationary state
of the focus and is terminated at the timing of detection of the
focus operation. Thereby, the remembrance popup display can be
performed only during non-operation by the user, consequently
making it possible to prevent the user operation from being
disturbed by the remembrance popup display.
REMEMBRANCE LIST DISPLAY OPERATION
[0341] After the remembrance popup display is performed, the
information regarding the respective content graphically displayed
in the remembrance popup display is stored into the remembrance
list in the memory 11, as described above. The remembrance list is
displayable through a predetermined operation of the user. When a
date in a desired content is selected from the remembrance list, a
day-view lifetime calendar corresponding to the selected date is
displayed. The flow of the operation is shown in a flow diagram of
FIG. 21. The process of the flow diagram is started in accordance
with the lifetime calendar application program upon display of a
calendar-view or day-view lifetime calendar on the display portion
5.
[0342] At step S81, the controller portion 12 monitors the
operation portion 6, and thereby determines whether a display
specifying operation to display the remembrance list has been
performed.
[0343] As one example, when desiring to display the remembrance
list, the user carries out an operation of depression of the fourth
soft key 29 shown in FIG. 2A in the state where a calendar-view or
day-view lifetime calendar is displayed. At step S81, the
controller portion 12 determines the presence or absence of an
operation of depression of the fourth soft key 29, and thereby
determines whether display of the remembrance list has been
specified. The process proceeds to step S82 at the timing of
detection of the operation of depression of the fourth soft key
29.
[0344] At step S82, a remembrance list stored in the memory 11 is
displayed on the display portion 5. FIG. 22 shows a display example
of the remembrance list. As one example, histories of four
remembrance popup displays are stored in the remembrance list
stored in the memory 11. In the example of FIG. 22, histories of
respective remembrance popup displays of Sep. 23, 2003, Apr. 30,
2004, Aug. 6, 2004, and Sep. 23, 2004 are stored in the remembrance
list in the memory 11.
[0345] Then, the focus is positioned on a latest one of the
respective histories in the remembrance list, as a default. The
user carries out an operation of moving the focus and carries out
an operation of depression of the enter key 25 in the state of the
focus kept positioned on a desired history. Thereby, the user
selects the desired history. At step S83, the operation state of
the enter key 25 is detected, thereby to determine whether an
operation of selection of the desired history. If the operation of
depression of the enter key 25 is detected, then the process
proceeds to step S84. Otherwise if not detected, then the process
proceeds to step S85.
[0346] Thus, since the operation of depression of the enter key 25
is detected, at step S84 detection is performed for a date of a
currently focus-positioned history on the remembrance list, and a
day-view lifetime calendar based on the detected date is displayed
on the display portion 5. Then, the entire process of the flow
diagram of FIG. 21 terminates.
[0347] More specifically, in the example of FIG. 22, in the state
of the focus positioned on a history on, for example, Sep. 23,
2003, if an operation of depression of the enter key 25 is
detected, then the list display screen of the day-view lifetime
calendar, which is described above with reference to FIG. 12, is
displayed on the display portion 5. More specifically, the day-view
lifetime calendar is displayed in the form that the respective
contents of September 23rd are positioned in the center of the
display area of the display portion 5. Thereby, a detail of the
history selected from the remembrance list can be verified on the
day-view lifetime calendar.
[0348] In the present example, when the history is thus selected
from the remembrance list, the "list display screen" of the
day-view lifetime calendar corresponding to the date of the
selected history is displayed. However, the arrangement can be such
that the "thumbnail display screen" of the day-view lifetime
calendar (see FIG. 13) corresponding to the date of the selected
history is displayed.
[0349] At step S85, to which the process has proceeded upon
non-detection of the operation of depression of the enter key 25 at
step S83, the controller portion 12 determines whether an operation
of returning the display screen to a previous screen displayed
immediately before displaying the remembrance list is carried out.
As one example, in the mobile phone of the present embodiment, upon
detection of an operation of depression of the clear key 32 (shown
in FIG. 2A) in the state where the remembrance list is displayed,
the display screen returns to the previous screen displayed
immediately before displaying the remembrance list.
[0350] As such, at step S85, the controller portion 12 determines
the presence or absence of an operation of depression of the clear
key 32, thereby to determine whether the operation of returning the
display screen to the previous screen is carried out. If the
operation of depression of the clear key 32 is detected, then the
process proceeds to step S86. At step S86, the calendar-view or
day-view lifetime calendar displayed immediately before displaying
the remembrance list is displayed on the display portion 5. Then,
the entire process shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 21
terminates.
[0351] Alternately, if at step S85 no operation of depression of
the clear key 32 is detected, at step S87 the controller portion 12
monitors the presence or absence of an operation of depression of
any other key than the clear key 32. If no operation of depression
of the any other key is detected, then the process returns to step
S82, and display of the remembrance list is continued. Otherwise,
if operation of depression of the any other key is detected, then
the entire process shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 21 terminates
at the timing of the detection, and a process corresponding to the
depressed key is executed.
[0352] More specifically, in the mobile phone of the present
embodiment, in the state where the remembrance list is displayed,
when the third soft key 28 is depressed, the main menu is
displayed, and when the on-hook key 31 is depressed, the lifetime
calendar application program terminates. At step S87, monitoring is
performed to detect the presence or absence of the operation of
depression of the key such as the third soft key 28 or on-hook key
31. At the timing of the detection of the operation of depression
of the key such as the third soft key 28 or on-hook key 31, the
process shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 21 terminates. Then,
operations of control, such as display control of the main menu and
termination control of the lifetime calendar application program
are performed.
OTHER REMEMBRANCE POPUP DISPLAY OPERATION-1)
[0353] As described above, the above-described remembrance popup
display operation presents the remembrance popup display on the
basis of the "past date," such as one-year previous date or
one-month previous date to the focus-positioned date. Alternately,
however, the remembrance popup display operation can be performed
on the basis of the "number of past contents," as described
herebelow.
[0354] FIG. 23 is a flow diagram showing the flow of a remembrance
popup display operation in accordance with the "number of past
contents" in the mobile phone of the embodiment. In the flow
diagram of FIG. 23, steps of operations similar to those of flow
diagram of FIG. 17 are indicated with the same step numbers, and
repetitive descriptions thereof will be omitted herefrom.
[0355] With reference to the flow diagram of FIG. 23, in the state
where a calendar-view or day-view lifetime calendar is displayed,
if a stationary state of the focus is detected, then at step S61 an
elapse of a preliminarily set remembrance display time is detected.
Then, the process proceeds to step S91 at the timing of the elapse
of the remembrance display time.
[0356] At step S91, the controller portion 12 detects a content
having a date with a largest number of contents among past dates
with respect to a focus-positioned date of a content in accordance
with information of time provided to the respective contents stored
in the memory 11.
[0357] More specifically, on the calendar-view or day-view lifetime
calendar, for example, when the focus is positioned on the Sep. 13,
2005, a content having a date previous to Sep. 13, 2005 is detected
from the memory 11. Then, from among the dates on or before Sep.
13, 2005, a date with the largest number of contents is detected,
and contents of the date are set as contents for remembrance popup
display.
[0358] Then, as described with reference to the flow diagram of
FIG. 17, at step S66 the contents of the date with the largest
number of contents are popup displayed during the time until an
operation of moving the focus detection is detected at step
S67.
[0359] For example, a large number of still image contents occur in
such an event where the user makes a trip or takes part in a
wedding. Similarly, a large number of e-mail contents occur in such
an event of a business arrangement or scheduling via e-mail. As
such, a date with a large number of contents signifies that the
date is a certain important date.
[0360] As such, on the calendar-view or day-view lifetime calendar,
a date with the largest number of contents is selected from among
past dates previous to a focus-positioned date, and a content
corresponding to the detected date is presented as a remembrance
popup display. Thereby, a content having a date determined with
high probability to be some important date for the user in the past
can be presented as a remembrance popup display.
OTHER REMEMBRANCE POPUP DISPLAY OPERATION-2)
[0361] For implementation of the remembrance popup display, the
remembrance popup display can be performed in accordance with the
"past date" and "number of past contents" described above. FIG. 24
is a flow diagram showing the flow of a remembrance popup display
operation by combining the "past date" and the "number of past
contents." In the flow diagram of FIG. 24, steps of operations
similar to those of the flow diagram of FIG. 17 are indicated with
the same step numbers, and repetitive descriptions thereof will be
omitted herefrom.
[0362] With reference to the flow diagram of FIG. 24, in the state
where a calendar-view or day-view lifetime calendar is displayed,
if a stationary state of the focus is detected, then at step S61 an
elapse of a preliminarily set remembrance display time is detected.
Then, the process proceeds to step S101 at the timing of the elapse
of the remembrance display time.
[0363] At step S101, the controller portion 12 detects contents of
a one-year previous date with respect to a focus-positioned date
(and a date close to the one-year previous date) and contents of a
one-month previous date to the focus-positioned date (and a date
close to the one-month previous date).
[0364] At step S102, the controller portion 12 performs random
detection of a past date with respect to the focus-positioned date
on the calendar-view or day-view lifetime calendar, and detects a
content corresponding to the detected date.
[0365] Then, at step S103, the controller portion 12 detects a date
with the largest number of contents from among the one-year
previous date with respect to the focus-positioned date (and the
date close to the one-year previous date), one-month previous date
to the focus-positioned date (and the date close to the one-month
previous date) detected at steps S101 and S102, and the randomly
detected date.
[0366] Then, as described with reference to the flow diagram of
FIG. 17, at step S66 the content of the date with the largest
number of contents is presented as a remembrance popup display
during the time until an operation of moving the focus detection is
detected at step S67.
[0367] Thereby, a content related to a focus-positioned date on a
calendar-view or day-view lifetime calendar and having a date
determined with high probability to be important date for the user
in the past can be presented as a remembrance popup display.
OTHER REMEMBRANCE POPUP DISPLAY OPERATION-3)
[0368] The arrangement of the remembrance popup display can be such
that any one of the above-described "per-year detection,"
"per-month detection," and "random detection" is selected at random
or in accordance with the predetermined probability, and a content
of the above-described predetermined type selected thereby is
presented as a remembrance popup display. FIG. 28 is a flow diagram
showing the flow of a remembrance popup display operation to
present such a display. In the flow diagram of FIG. 28, steps of
operations similar to those of the flow diagram of FIG. 17 are
indicated with the same step numbers, and repetitive descriptions
thereof will be omitted herefrom.
[0369] With reference to the flow diagram of FIG. 28, in the state
where a calendar-view or day-view lifetime calendar is displayed,
if a stationary state of the focus is detected, then at step S61 an
elapse of a preliminarily set remembrance display time is detected.
Then, the process proceeds to step S62 at the timing of the elapse
of the remembrance display time. At step S62, a content having the
oldest date is detected, and the process proceeds to S141.
[0370] At step S141, the controller portion 12 determines in
accordance with the predetermined probability which one (detection)
of the above-described "per-year detection," "per-month detection,"
and "random detection" is to be performed. As one example, in the
mobile phone of the present embodiment, probabilities are
preliminarily set as: probability of "per-year detection"
selection=33%; probability of "per-month detection" selection=33%;
and probability of "random detection" selection=33%. Thus, any one
of the "per-year detection," "per-month detection," and "random
detection" is determined at substantially the same probability.
[0371] Probabilities such as described above can be set with
predetermined weights, as: probability of "per-year detection"
determination (selection)=60%; probability of "per-month detection"
determination=30%; and probability of "random detection"
determination=10%. In this case, the probability of the "per-year
detection" determination is highest. Alternatively, the arrangement
can be such that the probabilities are optionally settable to
values desired by the user.
[0372] Then, at steps S142 and S143, the controller portion 12
determines one of the "per-year detection" and the "per-month
detection" is to be executed. If the "per-year detection" is
determined to be executed, then the process proceeds to step S145.
Otherwise, if the "per-month detection" is determined to be
executed, then the process proceeds to step S146. Alternately, if
any one of the "per-year detection" and the "per-month detection"
is determined to be not executed, then the "random detection" is
determined. Then, the process proceeds to step S144.
[0373] At step S145, to which the process has proceeded as a result
of determination made to execute the "per-year detection," a year
is randomly determined from among years corresponding to the date
range of from the oldest date to the present date. In addition, a
currently focus-positioned date on a calendar-view or day-view
lifetime calendar corresponding to the detected year is recognized
as a base point, and a content having a date closest to the base
point is detected.
[0374] Suppose that, for the content of the date closest to the
base point, there are detected contents respectively apart by the
same number of dates along a past direction and a future direction
with respect to the base point in the center. More specifically,
suppose that, for example, there are detected both contents--one
apart by three dates along the past direction from the base point
and the other apart by three dates along the future direction from
the base point. In this case, the controller portion 12 detects the
content apart along the past direction from the base point to be
the content of the date closest to the base point.
[0375] At step S146, to which the process has proceeded as a result
of determination made to execute the "per-month detection," a month
is randomly determined from among months corresponding to the date
range of from the one-year previous date to the present date to the
present date. In addition, a currently focus-positioned date on a
calendar-view or day-view lifetime calendar corresponding to the
detected month is recognized as a base point, and a content having
a date closest to the base point is detected.
[0376] Also in the "per-month detection," in the event contents
respectively apart by the same number of dates along the past
direction and the future direction, the controller portion 12
detects a content apart along the past direction from the base
point to be the content of the date closest to the base point.
[0377] At step S144, to which the process has proceeded as a result
of the determination made to execute the "random detection," the
controller portion 12 detects a content having a past date with
respect to the currently focus-positioned date on the calendar-view
or day-view lifetime calendar. Then, the process proceeds to step
S66.
[0378] At step S66, the content detected in the "per-year
detection" at step S145, the content detected in the "per-month
detection" at step S146, or the content detected in the "random
detection" is presented as the remembrance popup display. In
addition, the history is stored into the remembrance list in the
memory 11. The remembrance popup display is continued until
detection of an operation of moving the focus at step S67.
[0379] Thus, any one of the "per-year detection," "per-month
detection," and "random detection" is selected in accordance with
the predetermined probability or at random, and a content selected
thereby is presented as the remembrance popup display. Thereby,
remembrance popup display having certain degrees of both regularity
and randomness can be implemented.
LINKING PROCESS FOR LINKING STILL IMAGE CONTENT AND PRIVATE
INFORMATION STORED IN TELEPHONE DIRECTORY
[0380] A linking process for linking a still image content and
private information stored in the telephone directory will be
described hereinbelow. According to the mobile phone of the present
embodiment, either a person imaged on a still image content
captured by the camera unit 8 or a person imaged on a still image
content downloaded across the network is designated, and the person
is linked to the private information of the person registered in
the telephone directory. This enables making a direct telephone
call or e-mail transmission to the person corresponding to the
image selected from the still image content.
[0381] FIG. 25 shows a flow of operations in the range of from the
step of specifying a person to the step of linking of corresponding
private information thereto. A still image content either captured
by the camera unit 8 or downloaded across the network is stored
into the memory 11. At the timing of the storage, the flow shown in
the flow diagram is started in accordance with a face image linking
processing program stored in the memory 11.
[0382] To begin with, at step S111, a face image portion in the
still image content, which has been stored into the memory 11, is
extracted by the controller portion 12. Then, the process proceeds
to step S112. More specifically, in the case of a still image of a
plurality of persons, such as a group photograph, face image
portions of the respective persons are extracted. Even in the case
of a still image content of only a single person, a face image
portion of the person is extracted in the like manner.
[0383] At step S112, a comparison is performed between the face
image of the respective person extracted at step S111 and the image
of the respective user stored in the telephone directory in the
memory 11. At step S113, the controller portion 12 determines
whether a user matching with the face images of the persons
detected at step S111 is present in the users registered in the
telephone directory in the memory 11.
[0384] If no matching user is determined to be present, then the
process proceeds to step S116. Otherwise, if a matching user is
determined to be present, then the process proceeds to step
S114.
[0385] At step S114, private information inclusive of, for example,
a telephone number and e-mail address, of the matched user, which
private information is stored in the telephone directory, is
acquired. Then, the process proceeds to step S115. At step S115, a
linking process is performed for linking the still image content,
which has been stored into the memory 11, and the private
information, which is stored in the telephone directory. Then, the
entire process shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 25 terminates.
[0386] More specifically, the memory 11 includes a linking
information table, and the controller portion 12 stores the
following into the table:
[0387] 1. Identification number (or, "ID," hereinbelow) of the
still image content;
[0388] 2. ID of the respective face image extracted from the still
image content;
[0389] 3. Linkage information for linking the respective face image
and the respective user registered in the telephone directory;
[0390] For the linkage information, the controller portion 12
stores into the linking information table, for example,
registration numbers corresponding to the respective users, such as
physical addresses contained in the telephone directory storing the
private information of the user or sequence numbers contained in
the telephone directory.
[0391] As described above, when no matching user is determined at
step S113 to be present, the process proceeds to step S116. At step
S116, the controller portion 12 registers the following into the
linking information table:
[0392] 1. ID of the still image content;
[0393] 2. ID of the respective face image extracted from the still
image content;
[0394] 3. Non-linkage information indicative of absence of private
information contained in the telephone directory.
Then, the entire process shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 25
terminates.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATION
[0395] Automatic transmission operation will be described
hereinbelow. As described above, the linking process is performed
for linking the respective person imaged on the still image and the
private information contained in the telephone directory. Thereby,
a telephone call, e-mail transmission, or the like can be directly
(automatically) made to the user corresponding to the image
selected from the still image content. FIG. 26 is a flow diagram
showing a flow of such an automatic telephone call or e-mail
transmission operation. At the timing of specification of display
of a still image content on a list or thumbnail display screen of a
lifetime calendar, the flow shown in the flow diagram is started in
accordance with the face image linking processing program stored in
the memory 11.
[0396] At step S121, the viewer function of the camera control
program is activated for displaying the still image content. Then,
the process proceeds to step S122.
[0397] At step S122, the controller portion 12 references the
linking information table in accordance with the ID of the still
image content for display. Thereby, the controller portion 12
determines the presence or absence of an image of a person
unregistered in the telephone directory.
[0398] More specifically, as described above, when private
information corresponding to a user is absent in the telephone
directory, the ID of the face image of the user and the non-linkage
information indicative of the absence of the private information in
the telephone directory is stored into the linking information
table. As such, the controller portion 12 determines the presence
or absence of the non-linkage information corresponding to the
still image content of interest for display. Thereby, the
controller portion 12 is able to easily detect the presence or
absence of a person corresponding to private information not stored
in the telephone directory from among the persons imaged on the
still image content. If, at step S122, then the presence of a
person corresponding to private information not stored in the
telephone directory is not detected, the process proceeds to step
S123. Otherwise, if the presence of a person corresponding to
private information not stored in the telephone directory is
detected, the process proceeds to step S126.
[0399] At step S123, to which the process has proceeded in the
instance of non-detection of a person corresponding to private
information not stored in the telephone directory, the still image
content is displayed on the display portion 5. Concurrently, the
focus is positioned on a portion such as a face portion of any one
of persons imaged on the still image content.
[0400] Alternately, at step S126, to which the process has
proceeded when a person corresponding to private information not
stored in the telephone directory is detected, the still image
content is displayed on the display portion 5. Concurrently, among
the persons imaged on the still image content, a portion such as a
face portion of a person corresponding to private information not
stored in the telephone directory (that is, a person corresponding
to non-linkage information stored in the linking information table)
is gray displayed. In addition, among the persons imaged on the
still image content, a portion such as a face portion of a person
corresponding to private information stored in the telephone
directory is focus-positioned and displayed.
[0401] The above enables the user, who has observed the still image
content displayed on the display portion 5, to quickly (or at one
glance) recognize the persons corresponding to the private
information stored in the telephone directory.
[0402] The focus positioned on any one of the persons imaged on the
still image content is movable between or among the respective
images of the persons. In units of detection of an operation of the
cross key 24, focus movement and display control is sequentially
performed over the respective persons.
[0403] In the state of the focus positioned on any one of the
persons imaged on the still image content, when an operation of
depression of the enter key 25 is detected, a selection screen
allowing the user either to make a telephone call or to create an
e-mail piece is displayed on the display portion 5. On the
selection screen, the user selects either telephone call or e-mail
creation.
[0404] At steps S124 and S127 of the flow diagram shown in FIG. 26,
the controller portion 12 determines (or detects) which one of the
telephone call or e-mail creation is selected. If the e-mail
creation is selected, then the process proceeds to step S125.
Otherwise, if the telephone call is selected, then the process
proceeds to step S128.
[0405] At step S125, to which the process has proceeded when the
e-mail creation is selected, the linking information table is
referenced, and linkage information corresponding to the image of
the person being focus-positioned on the still image is detected
therefrom. Then, in accordance with the linkage information, an
e-mail address of the person registered in the telephone directory
is read out, and the read out e-mail creation screen for creating
an e-mail piece having the e-mail address input into an input field
for the addressee is displayed on the display portion 5.
[0406] The above makes it possible to directly transmit the e-mail
piece to the person corresponding to the image selected on the
still image content just by performing a transmission operation by
inputting, for example, a caption (subject name) of the e-mail
piece and text of the e-mail piece.
[0407] At step S128, to which the process has proceeded when the
telephone call is selected, the linking information table is
referenced, and then linkage information corresponding to the
person being focus-positioned on the still image content is
detected. Then, in accordance with the linkage information, the
communications circuit 2 is controlled to transmit the telephone
call to a telephone number of the person stored in the telephone
directory. Thereby, the user is able to directly make the telephone
call to the person corresponding to the image selected on the still
image content.
ACQUISITION OPERATION FOR ACQUIRING PRIVATE INFORMATION OF PERSON
WHOSE IMAGE IS GRAY DISPLAYED
[0408] The following describes an acquisition operation for
acquiring private information of a person whose image is gray
displayed or corresponding to on a gray displayed image on a still
image content. As described above, the person corresponding to the
private information not stored in the telephone directory is gray
displayed on the still image content displayed on the display
portion 5. The private information of the person corresponding to
the gray displayed image can be acquired from a mobile phone of an
other user. FIG. 27 is a flow diagram showing a flow of the
acquisition operation for acquiring private information of the
person corresponding to the gray displayed image.
[0409] The flow of the flow diagram is started in accordance with
the face image linking processing program upon detection of an
operation of depression of the enter key 25 in the state of the
focus being positioned on the person corresponding to the gray
displayed image.
[0410] At step S131, the controller portion 12 displays the
telephone directory together with a message, such as saying "Select
a recipient," on the display portion 5. Thereby, the user is
prompted to select a recipient of a face image of the person
corresponding to the gray displayed image.
[0411] In response, the user (of the mobile phone of the present
embodiment) is to select from the telephone directory a user likely
having the private information of the person corresponding to the
gray displayed image. At step S132, the controller portion 12
determines whether an operation of selection of the recipient user
is carried out. At the timing of the operation of selection having
been carried out, the process proceeds to step S133.
[0412] At step S133, the controller portion 12 operates as follows.
An e-mail piece is automatically created by inputting thereinto an
e-mail address of the recipient user selected from the telephone
directory and a message such as saying "Please give me private
information of a person imaged on an attached image." Further, the
e-mail piece is provided with a header including transmission
request information indicative that the e-mail piece is to make a
transmission request for the private information.
[0413] Upon receipt of the transmission request information
included in the header, a controller portion 12 of a mobile phone
performs a comparison between a face image attached to the e-mail
piece and images of respective users stored in the mobile phone. If
a matching user is detected, then an e-mail piece having attached
private information inclusive, for example, a telephone number and
e-mail address is created and transmitted as a response.
[0414] At step S134, the controller portion 12 determines whether
the response (e-mail piece) is transmitted. If the response e-mail
is transmitted, then the process proceeds to step S135. At step
S135, private information attached to the response e-mail piece is
stored into the private information registration field (private
information registration field for the person corresponding to the
gray displayed image) for the user in the telephone directory.
Thereby, even when private information inclusive a telephone
number, e-mail address, and the like of a person imaged on a still
image content is unknown, the private information can be acquired
from a mobile phone of an other user. Then, communication with the
person can be accomplished by either making a telephone call or
transmitting an e-mail piece to the person.
[0415] When the private information of the person corresponding to
the gray displayed image has been able to be acquired the face
image of the person corresponding to the gray displayed image and
the acquired private information are stored into the telephone
directory. Further, the linking process is performed to link the
private information and the face image of the person corresponding
to the gray displayed image. Thereby, the person corresponding to
the gray displayed image on the still image content is recognized
or handled as a person corresponding to private information stored
in the telephone directory (the image of the person gray display is
not performed.).
EFFECTS/ADVANTAGES OF THE EMBODIMENT
[0416] Clearly from description given above, according to the
mobile phone of the present embodiment, contents belonging to the
same time range are detected in accordance with the information of
time contained in the respective content different in type. Items
of content-related graphical information (such as icons, thumbnail
images, etc.) of the contents belonging to the same time range are
graphically displayed along the time series. In an other
expression, items of the content-related information, such as icons
and/or thumbnail images, of contents having time information
belonging to the time range of respective dates are graphically
displayed on the lifetime calendar segmented in units of the time
range defined as the date.
[0417] Thereby, different types of contents can be displayed
collectively in units of the respective date on the lifetime
calendar. Consequently, the user is able to collectively verify the
respective different types of contents belonging to a long time
range, such as one month or one year, and is able to easily and
quickly retrieve a desired content from among a plurality of
different types of contents.
[0418] Since different types of contents can thus be graphically
displayed collectively in units of the respective date, the user is
able to make an opportunity of taking a next action from past
events. This can be done in such a manner that remembering a friend
from, for example, thumbnail images of still image contents and/or
e-mail contents of transmitted/received e-mail pieces, the user
again transmits an e-mail piece to the friend.
[0419] Such contents are graphically displayed on the lifetime
calendar by being automatically distributed in units of the
information of time contained in the respective content. As such,
it is sufficient for the user to perform normal terminal (device)
operations, such as transmit and receive operations and imaging
operations using the camera unit 8 to obtain the display. That is,
the respective contents can be graphically displayed on the
lifetime calendar without forcing the user to have, for example,
special operations and consciousness.
[0420] Since the different types of contents are graphically
displayed collectively in units of the respective date on the
lifetime calendar, the lifetime calendar can be used as, for
example, a past operation history or a diary.
[0421] In the event that, for example, transmitted e-mail contents
and birthday contents are to be graphically displayed on the
day-view lifetime calendar, in the case where still images of users
corresponding to the telephone directory and the private
information registration fields, thumbnail images of the still
images are displayed on the day-view lifetime calendar.
Consequently, users corresponding to transmission sources and
addressees and users corresponding to the birthdays can easily be
recognized.
[0422] The content-related graphical information of interest for
display on the lifetime calendar are preliminarily set by
specifying settings such as the display and filter settings.
Consequently, only desired content-related graphical information
can be displayed on the lifetime calendar. Consequently, only
user-desired contents can be graphically displayed on the lifetime
calendar, therefore enabling a desired content to be retrieved even
more easily and quickly.
[0423] The "list display screen" of the day-view lifetime calendar
graphically displays contents by using character information,
icons, and thumbnail images corresponding to the contents, such
that the user is enabled to easily recognize the "contents" of the
contents. Further, the "thumbnail display screen" of the day-view
lifetime calendar graphically displays contents by primarily using,
for example, icons and thumbnail images corresponding to the
contents, such that the user is enabled to recognize many contents
at one time.
[0424] The day-view lifetime calendar graphically displays contents
by suppressing a display date field(s) with no content. In an other
expression, the contents are displayed so that date display fields
are adjacent one another. Thereby, an even more increased number of
contents can be graphically displayed on the day-view lifetime
calendar.
[0425] In the case where there are a plurality of still image
contents for graphical display in one of the respective display
areas for dates on the calendar-view lifetime calendar, one still
image content is selected from the plurality of still images and is
graphically displayed in the display area. Then, a still image
content other than the still image content corresponding to the
currently graphically displayed thumbnail image is selected from
the plurality of still images contents at a predetermined time
interval, such as the interval of three, six, or twelve hours.
Thereby, the thumbnail image of interest for display on the display
area for the date with the plurality of still image contents for
graphical display can be updated at the predetermined time interval
on the calendar-view lifetime calendar. Consequently, when, for
example, the user observes the calendar-view lifetime calendar at
the predetermined time interval, the user is able to view a new
thumbnail image every time the user observes the calendar-view
lifetime calendar.
[0426] In the case where the focus is kept positioned for the
predetermined time period or longer, such as three seconds or
longer, on a display area for a date with a plurality of still
image contents for graphical display in the respective display
areas for dates on the calendar-view lifetime calendar, the
thumbnail images of the still image contents for graphical display
on the display area of the date are updated to thumbnail images of
new still image contents. Then, the updated thumbnail images are
displayed while the focus is being positioned. Thereby, thumbnail
images of still image contents corresponding to a focus-positioned
date are sequentially updated and displayed, such that the user is
able to recognize all the still image contents corresponding to the
date only by positioning the focus on the display area for the
desired date.
[0427] By moving the focus to the year index, month index, or date
index, changing of graphical display of contents to be graphically
displayed can be performed on the per-year, per-month, or per-day
basis. Consequently, a desired content can be easily and quickly
detected from a large amount of contents accumulated on the
per-year, per-month, or per-day basis.
[0428] In the event of changing from the calendar-view lifetime
calendar to the day-view lifetime calendar, when a display area for
a date with no content is specified on the calendar-view lifetime
calendar, a new schedule creation content for specifying the new
schedule registration is graphically displayed in the display area
for the specified date. Consequently, the user is able to easily
perform the new schedule registration by specifying the date with
no content.
EFFECTS/ADVANTAGES OF REMEMBRANCE POPUP DISPLAY FUNCTION
[0429] According to the mobile phone of the present embodiment,
when a stationary state of the focus for a predetermined time
period or longer is detected on a calendar-view or day-view
lifetime calendar, the controller portion 12 detects contents
corresponding to past dates with respect to the currently
focus-stationed date in order of priority of a per-year basis,
per-month basis, and random basis, and graphically displays the
contents to be overlaid on the calendar-view or day-view lifetime
calendar.
[0430] When presenting a calendar type display, such as the
calendar-view or day-view calendar display, the consciousness of
the user is prone to be directed to dates after the present date
(future dates). However, the consciousness of the user can be
directed as well to past dates in the manner that past contents,
such as one-year or one-month previous contents, are graphically
displayed in accordance with the remembrance popup display
function. Consequently, past remembrances (contents) forgotten over
time can be re-recognized, and overlooked contents of past dates
can be newly recognized.
[0431] Further, since the remembrance popup display is performed
when the stationary state of the focus is detected, the remembrance
popup display can be performed without disturbing the user
operation. Further, since the remembrance popup display is
automatically (passively) performed when the stationary state of
the focus is detected, the necessity of special user operations for
the remembrance popup display can be avoided.
[0432] Further, when contents exceeding the number to be
graphically displayed at one time are present, a different content
is graphically displayed every time the remembrance popup display
is performed. Consequently, the probability of, for example,
content re-recognition and new-content recognition can be further
increased.
[0433] The order of priority for performing the remembrance popup
display is as follows:
[0434] 1. Still image content captured or acquired by the camera
unit 8;
[0435] 2. Protection-set received or transmitted e-mail
content;
[0436] 3. Schedule content;
[0437] 4. Still image content downloaded via a network; and
[0438] 5. Non-protection-set received or transmitted e-mail
content.
Consequently, a content having high probability of remembrance
recollection by the user can be preferentially presented as the
remembrance popup display, consequently making it possible to
implement information display with high utility value.
[0439] Further, content-related graphical information displayed as
the remembrance popup displays are stored as histories into the
remembrance list. When desiring to recognize details of a content
graphically displayed in the remembrance list, the user selects a
date corresponding to the content desired for recognition from the
remembrance list. Thereby, a day-view lifetime calendar
corresponding to the date of the content presented as the
remembrance popup display is displayed. Consequently, the user is
able to recognize the details of the content presented as the
remembrance popup display on the day-view lifetime calendar.
EFFECTS/ADVANTAGES OF LINKING PROCESS FOR LINKING STILL IMAGE
CONTENT AND PRIVATE INFORMATION STORED IN TELEPHONE DIRECTORY
[0440] According to the mobile phone of the present embodiment,
either a person imaged on a still image content captured by the
camera unit 8 or a person imaged on a still image content
downloaded across the network is designated, and the person is
linked to the private information of the person stored in the
telephone directory. This enables making a direct telephone call or
e-mail transmission to the person corresponding to the image
selected from the still image content.
[0441] In the event of display of the still image content, a person
corresponding to private information not stored in the telephone
directory is gray displayed. Thereby, a person corresponding to
private information stored or not stored in the telephone directory
can be presented to be quickly recognizable to a user who has
observed the still image content displayed on the display portion
5.
[0442] Further, when a person corresponding to the gray displayed
image is selected from among images of the persons in the still
image content, a transmission request for private information of
the person corresponding to the gray displayed image is made to a
mobile phone of an other user. Thereby, even when a
communication-address unknown person (person corresponding to a
gray displayed image) is included in a still image content, private
information of the communication-address unknown person can be
acquired from a mobile phone of an other user. Thereby,
communication with the communication-address unknown person can be
accomplished by either making a telephone call or transmitting an
e-mail piece to the person.
MODIFIED EXAMPLES
[0443] According to the embodiment described above, the present
invention is adapted to the mobile phone. However, effects similar
to the above described can be attained by adapting the present
invention to any one of other devices, such as PHS phones (PHS :
Personal Handyphone System), PDA apparatuses (PDA: Personal Digital
Assistant), notebook/desktop personal computers, and mobile game
machines inasmuch as the devices handle a plurality of different
types of contents.
[0444] The present invention is not limited to the embodiment
described above just by way of one example of the invention, but of
course, even embodiments other than the above-described embodiment
may be made with various modifications without departing technical
spirit and scope of the present invention.
* * * * *